Minister of Works, David Umahi, has broken his silence on the death of Mary Habila, the nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, insisting that she was “like a daughter” to him and warning against what he described as attempts to politicise the tragic incident.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists, Umahi expressed sadness over the death of the young nurse, saying her passing had been deeply painful for him and his family.
According to the minister, Mary Habila lived with his family for about three years and was one of his trusted workers. He also clarified reports about her profession, stressing that she was a nurse employed by the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and not a physiotherapist, as had been reported in some quarters.
“The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist,” Umahi said.
He explained that Mary had been receiving medical treatment before her death, revealing that she had medical records at a Turkish hospital, where, according to him, her treatment expenses were covered by his family. He added that one of the hospital bills, dated April 5, amounted to about ₦2.2 million.
Umahi further disclosed that Mary had spoken with her boyfriend shortly before her death, complaining that she was bleeding from the nose. According to him, the boyfriend advised her to seek medical attention and briefly ended the call. When he called back a few minutes later, she reportedly did not answer.
The minister said Mary had informed her boyfriend that she was about to take a bath. He added that after she could no longer be reached, her room was forced open, where she was found with the tap still running.
Insisting that he does not suspect foul play, Umahi noted that the guest house where Mary died was separate from his residence. He argued that attempts to directly link him to the incident were unfair and politically motivated.
He also appealed to the public to refrain from spreading allegations without evidence, saying the unfortunate death of the young nurse should not be turned into a political issue.
“She was like a daughter to me. Don’t politicise her death,” the minister said, warning that those making unfounded accusations should be mindful of the gravity of the situation.
On the ongoing investigation, Umahi said he had directed that Mary’s body should not be released until an autopsy is conducted to determine the exact cause of death. He, however, disclosed that the deceased’s family had declined an autopsy, citing cultural reasons.
The minister appealed to the family to reconsider their position, insisting that a post-mortem examination would help establish the truth and put an end to speculation surrounding the case.
He also revealed that he had asked investigators to obtain the call records between Mary and her boyfriend to assist the investigation and determine the sequence of events leading to her death.
Umahi criticised what he described as misinformation circulating on social media regarding the incident and warned that his legal team had been instructed to pursue legal action against individuals responsible for cyberbullying and publishing false claims.
While extending his condolences to Mary Habila’s family, the minister maintained that he was committed to ensuring a transparent investigation and urged Nigerians to allow the authorities to establish the facts rather than rely on speculation.
