'She was like a daughter to me' — Minister of Works, Umahi breaks silence on the death of the 26-year-old nurse found in his residence.

• Umahi said Mary Habila was "like a daughter" and had lived with his family for three years.

• He denied any foul play and called for an independent autopsy to determine the cause of death.

• Mary Habila's father rejected claims that she had a pre-existing medical condition and demanded justice.

• The case has sparked calls for an independent investigation from civil society groups and political organisations.

Minister of Works David Umahi has broken his silence on the death of Mary Habila, a healthcare worker who was found dead at a guest house within his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, describing her as "like a daughter" and dismissing allegations of foul play while insisting that an autopsy should determine the cause of her death. 

The minister spoke amid growing public scrutiny and calls for an independent investigation into Habila's death.

Umahi said Habila had lived with his family for about three years and was more than a member of staff.

"The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years."

He also said reports describing her as his personal physiotherapist were inaccurate, explaining that she was a nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, and that both families enjoyed a close relationship. 

According to the minister, Habila had been battling an undisclosed medical condition and had received treatment at a Turkish hospital in Abuja, with his family footing the bills.

He said the most recent payment for her treatment amounted to ₦2.2 million, which he said was settled in April.

Umahi further claimed that shortly before her death, Habila spoke with her boyfriend on the phone and complained of bleeding from her nose.

According to him, she later said the bleeding had stopped and told her boyfriend she wanted to take a bath. When repeated calls to her went unanswered, concerned relatives and colleagues forced open the door to her room the following morning and found her dead, with water still running from the bathroom tap. 

The minister said he immediately requested that an autopsy be carried out to establish the exact cause of death.

According to him, Habila's family initially objected because of cultural beliefs, prompting him to seek the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police.

Umahi said he instructed that her body should not be released for burial until an autopsy is conducted and also requested that the investigation be handled in Abuja to ensure transparency. 

Rejecting speculation linking him to Habila's death, Umahi said there was no evidence of foul play.

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He stressed that the guest house where she died was separate from his personal residence and accommodated members of staff.

The minister also warned against what he described as attempts to politicise the incident and disclosed that he had instructed his lawyers to pursue legal action against individuals spreading false information online.

Habila's father, Mr. Habila, has rejected Umahi's claims that his daughter had a pre-existing medical condition.

He said Mary was healthy before travelling to Ebonyi and denied that the family refused an autopsy.

According to him, the family wants a thorough and transparent investigation to establish what happened to their daughter and ensure justice is served. He also questioned aspects of the account surrounding her death and urged authorities not to sweep the matter under the carpet. 

The case has continued to attract nationwide attention. The Nigerian Women International Alliance (NWIA) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order an independent and transparent investigation into Habila's death. 

Similarly, the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria issued a seven-day ultimatum to Umahi to resign, while demanding an independent, internationally supervised autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

The Allied People's Movement (APM) has also called for Umahi's suspension pending an independent inquiry, while other groups, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have demanded a credible investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

As of the time of filing this report, no autopsy findings have been made public, and the exact cause of Mary Habila's death has not been officially established. Police investigations are ongoing.