Death Mystery: Umahi Under Intense Scrutiny After Physiotherapist's Demise

The sudden death of 26-year-old Mary Habila at a guest house within the residence of the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State, has sparked significant controversy and calls for a thorough investigation. The incident, which occurred on June 27, 2026, has led to conflicting reports regarding Habila's professional identity and the circumstances surrounding her demise.

Initially, reports identified Mary Habila as a physiotherapist. However, the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) issued a statement clarifying that her name is not listed on the official register of licensed physiotherapists in Nigeria. After verifying her credentials through appropriate regulatory channels, the NSP confirmed that “Mary Habila” does not appear in their database of registered professionals. The society emphasized the importance of proper verification for regulated professions and urged public officials to ensure accuracy in their pronouncements, maintaining that professional identity is a matter of verifiable fact, not assumption or public perception. The NSP also extended its sympathies to the deceased's family.

Minister David Umahi, speaking publicly about the incident, later clarified that Mary Habila was a nurse, not a physiotherapist, and was a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu. He stated that she had been seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works for official duties, along with another physiotherapist from the same institution. Umahi maintained that Habila and other workers resided in a guesthouse in Asokoro and also in a staff chalet within his country home in Uburu, which served as accommodation for ministry personnel and associates, rather than his private living quarters. He refuted social media claims suggesting otherwise, accusing those behind them of exploiting her death to spread falsehoods, and indicated that legal action had been initiated against individuals deliberately distorting the facts.

Recounting the events leading to her death, Umahi stated that Habila had spoken with her boyfriend the night before, complaining of a nosebleed which she later said had stopped. He mentioned that her colleagues became worried the following morning when repeated attempts to contact her failed. After forcing open the door to her room, they found her dead, with the tap still running, suggesting she might have been preparing to take a bath. Umahi insisted that medical personnel were immediately invited, efforts were made to resuscitate her, and she was then taken to the hospital where she was confirmed dead. He affirmed that the matter was reported without delay to both the police and the hospital by the deceased’s family, emphasizing there was no attempt to conceal the incident, and that he directed an autopsy to be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.

Further details emerged from an affidavit filed before the Ebonyi State High Court by Anita Baaki, a colleague of Habila and a physiotherapist from Benue State. Baaki confirmed she traveled with Habila and other officials from Abuja to Ebonyi State on June 24, 2026, for an official assignment involving the minister, and that they were accommodated in adjoining rooms at a staff chalet within Umahi’s country home. Baaki last saw Habila on the evening of June 26. The alarm was raised the next morning after Habila failed to emerge from her room and calls went unanswered. After forcing the door open, Habila was found lying unconscious near the entrance and was rushed to David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Baaki stated her affidavit was voluntary, aimed at assisting investigators.

In response to the unfolding events, the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) issued a seven-day ultimatum to Minister David Umahi, demanding his resignation over Habila’s death. The group also called for his suspension from office and urged the Nigeria Police Force to invite him for questioning as part of an independent investigation. The NYCN stressed the need for a transparent autopsy to determine the cause of death, warning of nationwide protests if the Federal Government failed to act within the stipulated timeframe. The group expressed concern about the circumstances of the death occurring in a public office holder's residence and demanded a criminal investigation free from interference.

The Ebonyi State Police Command has since transferred the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a full and comprehensive investigation. Preliminary findings by the police indicated that Habila and another physiotherapist were indeed members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works and had accompanied him to Uburu, confirming her presence at his residence prior to her death.