Fresh legal advice has added a new twist to the investigation into the death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to the office of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, as authorities continue efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding her sudden death.
While Habila’s family is pressing for the immediate release of her body for burial, the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice has advised that a post-mortem examination be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.
According to the ministry, available evidence does not suggest that Habila had any known health condition before the incident.
The latest development comes as the police widen their investigation by inviting individuals considered relevant to the case, including those who may have information about the events leading to her death.
However, the family has maintained its opposition to an autopsy, citing cultural and personal beliefs, and insists that its priority is to retrieve her remains and give her a proper burial.
The disagreement between investigators and the family has brought the case to a crucial stage, with the Inspector-General of Police expected to intervene following a formal petition submitted by the family on Friday.
Habila, an employee of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, died on June 27, 2026, at a private residence linked to the Minister of Works. Her death attracted widespread public attention after reports emerged about the circumstances in which she was found, prompting a police investigation and the continued detention of her remains.
Family petitions IG over withheld remains
Through its lawyer, K.A. Yusuf, the family petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, accusing the Ebonyi State Police Command of unlawfully withholding Habila’s body weeks after her death.
The petition, titled “Complaint Against the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, for the Unlawful Refusal to Release the Corpse of Late Mary Habila for Burial,” was submitted at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
According to the petition, the family has complied with all police requirements and repeatedly requested the release of the body without success.
The family argued that the continued retention of Habila’s remains had caused severe emotional, psychological, financial and cultural hardship, while also denying them the opportunity to perform customary and religious burial rites.
Yusuf urged the Inspector-General to take over the investigation from the Ebonyi State Police Command, order the immediate release of the body and probe any officer found to have acted unlawfully.
Speaking after submitting the petition, Habila’s father, Wisdom, reiterated the family’s position, saying all he wanted was to take his daughter home for burial.
“All that I want is the body of my daughter. We don’t keep the body of a little child for this long. I need the corpse of my daughter so I can take her home for burial. That is all I am asking for,” he said.
Responding to questions on why the family opposed an autopsy despite police insistence that it could help establish the cause of death, the grieving father said the family had already made its decision and remained committed to it.
