The Ebonyi State Police Command has insisted on carrying out an autopsy to determine the cause of death of a 26-year-old nurse, Mary Habila, who was found dead at the country home of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The command disclosed that investigations into the incident are ongoing and that a post-mortem examination remains crucial to establishing the circumstances surrounding the young nurse’s death.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, the incident was reported on 27 June 2026 after the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Division received a distress call concerning a medical emergency involving the deceased at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu.
Upon arrival at the hospital, police were informed by medical personnel that Habila had already been brought in dead. The Commissioner of Police subsequently directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a detailed investigation.
Preliminary findings indicate that Habila
and another nurse, Anita Baaki, were members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works. The team had accompanied Umahi to his hometown in Uburu, where Habila reportedly died inside a room within the minister’s residential compound.Detectives have since visited the scene, interviewed key witnesses and gathered relevant evidence as part of efforts to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
The police, however, revealed that the deceased’s family has declined its request for an autopsy, insisting that the examination should not be conducted.
Despite the family’s position, the command maintained that a post-mortem examination is necessary due to the sensitive nature of the case and to scientifically determine the actual cause of death.
The command added that it is awaiting the presence of the deceased’s family or their authorised representative before proceeding with the examination.
Reaffirming its commitment to justice, the Ebonyi State Police Command assured the public that the investigation would be thorough, transparent and impartial, promising to provide further updates as new findings emerge.
