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The circumstances surrounding the death of 26-year-old physiotherapist, Mary Habila, at the country home of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State, have continued to generate national attention, with fresh eyewitness testimony, a police insistence on conducting an autopsy, and growing calls from her kinsmen for a transparent investigation further deepening public interest in the case.
As investigations continue, authorities are piecing together the final hours of the young medical professional, while her family prepares for burial amid unresolved questions over what led to her sudden death.
A major development emerged after Anita Baaki, a close friend and colleague of the deceased, filed a sworn affidavit before the Ebonyi State High Court detailing the events leading to Habila's death. Baaki, a physiotherapist from Benue State, said she travelled alongside Habila and other officials of the Federal Ministry of Works from Abuja to Ebonyi on June 24, 2026, for an official assignment under the supervision of the Minister of Works.
According to the affidavit, ministry officials were accommodated in adjoining rooms inside a staff chalet located within the minister's country home. Baaki clarified that the facility served as accommodation for ministry personnel and associates and was not Senator Umahi's personal residence.
Recounting Habila's final moments, Baaki said she last saw her colleague alive on the evening of June 26 after she returned from a hair appointment. She recalled that Habila excitedly visited her room to show off her new hairstyle before the two exchanged light-hearted conversations.
Baaki said Habila later remarked that she was exhausted and intended to take a shower before retiring for the night. Unknown to her, that conversation would become their last.
Concern arose the following morning when Habila failed to come out of her room. Baaki said repeated telephone calls went unanswered, while knocks on the locked door also produced no response.
Alarmed, she alerted domestic staff to search the premises. After efforts to locate Habila elsewhere proved unsuccessful, other officials forced open the door to the room.
Inside, Habila was found lying unconscious near the entrance. She was immediately rushed to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed that she was dead on arrival.
Baaki maintained that her affidavit was voluntarily made to assist investigators in establishing the true circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Police Command has reaffirmed its determination to conduct a forensic post-mortem examination despite reports that members of Habila's family preferred to proceed with burial without an autopsy.
Police spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, said the command considered the examination indispensable because of the sensitive nature of the case and the need to scientifically determine the exact cause of death.
According to the police, detectives have already visited the scene, interviewed relevant witnesses and transferred the matter to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a comprehensive investigation.
The command explained that although the family had fixed Habila's burial for Friday, July 17, in Kaduna State, investigators would wait for the attendance of family representatives before carrying out the autopsy.
Police disclosed that the case began on June 27 after officers received a distress report from Ohaozara Local Government Area regarding a medical emergency involving Habila, who was subsequently confirmed dead at the hospital.
Investigators said preliminary findings showed that Habila formed part of the medical team attached to Senator Umahi during his official engagements in Ebonyi.
Her sudden death has since triggered widespread public debate, with conflicting narratives circulating across social media platforms and various interest groups demanding a transparent investigation.
Among the organisations that have weighed in is the Southern Kaduna People's Union (SOKAPU), which has urged the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that no aspect of the investigation is overlooked.
The union acknowledged that the incident was promptly reported to the police by Senator Umahi and his team but stressed that public confidence could only be restored through a thorough, impartial and professional investigation.
SOKAPU also appealed to members of the public to refrain from spreading rumours, misinformation and sensational accounts capable of prejudicing the investigation.
The organisation expressed condolences to Habila's family, the Ham community and the people of Southern Kaduna, pledging continued support throughout the difficult period.
Reports indicate that Habila's father travelled to Abakaliki to receive his daughter's remains but declined public comments on the circumstances surrounding her death.
The incident has also attracted attention because of claims circulating online regarding the condition in which Habila's body was allegedly found. However, investigators have not officially confirmed those claims, urging the public to await the outcome of forensic examinations.
For his part, Senator David Umahi has acknowledged that Habila died within the premises of his country home and has publicly supported calls for an autopsy, maintaining that the young woman was a physiotherapist seconded from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences to the Federal Ministry of Works.
However, some reports have suggested that investigators are verifying aspects of the employment records of those attached to the minister's medical team, while also examining all available evidence surrounding the incident.
As of now, no official cause of death has been established, and no criminal liability has been determined.
The outcome of the anticipated forensic autopsy is expected to play a pivotal role in resolving the unanswered questions surrounding the death of Mary Habila and may determine the next direction of the ongoing police investigation.
