Mary Habila, the 26-year-old health worker whose death at the residence of Minister of Works David Umahi in Ebonyi State sparked public controversy, has been buried in Kaduna State.
Habila was laid to rest in Nok, Kaduna, on Friday, August 21, nearly two months after she died in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Her burial came after a prolonged dispute over whether her remains should undergo an autopsy.
The circumstances surrounding Habila’s death generated calls for an independent investigation, with the police and other stakeholders seeking a forensic examination to establish the cause of death.
However, her father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, later withdrew the family from the legal proceedings and rejected the proposed autopsy. He requested that his daughter’s remains be released so the family could proceed with the burial.
Umahi had acknowledged that Habila died at his residence but denied wrongdoing. The minister also supported the call for an autopsy, saying a forensic examination would help establish what happened.
The case subsequently attracted legal action from the Southern Kaduna Peoples United Associations (SOKAPU), which sought an independent autopsy and investigation into the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
The burial marks another development in a case that has raised questions about transparency, investigative procedures and the handling of deaths occurring under disputed circumstances.
Reports about Habila’s professional background have varied, with earlier accounts describing her as a nurse or physiotherapist, while subsequent reports identified her as a Community Health Extension Worker.
With Habila now buried, the focus may shift to any remaining legal or investigative proceedings. However, the absence of an agreed forensic examination means questions surrounding the precise circumstances of her death remain unresolved.
The controversy has continued to attract public attention, particularly because of the involvement of a serving federal minister and the competing positions of the deceased’s family, security authorities and advocacy groups.
