Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct Minister of Works David Umahi to step aside from office while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Mary Habila, a 26-year-old nurse who died on June 27, 2026, inside Umahi's private residence in Uburu, Ebonyi state. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 elections, made the demand in a statement personally signed on Thursday, July 16, 2026, arguing that the Tinubu administration had failed Nigerians by remaining silent for nearly two weeks after the controversial death.
Atiku's Four-Point Demand
Beyond calling for Umahi's suspension, Atiku set out three additional demands. He urged Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to immediately transfer the case from the Ebonyi State Command to Force Headquarters, arguing that no investigation conducted within the minister's long-standing sphere of influence in his home state could command public confidence. Umahi served two terms as governor of Ebonyi before his appointment as minister.
Furthermore, Atiku demanded that a full, independent autopsy be conducted without further delay and that the findings be made public, describing the three-week stalemate over a post-mortem as "an indictment of every institution involved." His fourth demand was that Habila's family be shielded from any pressure or inducement and be guaranteed unrestricted access to information about how their daughter died.
Criticism of Government Silence
Atiku directed pointed criticism at the presidency for treating what he described as a grave matter of public accountability as something to be quietly outlasted. He said: "President Tinubu's administration has instead treated this tragedy as an inconvenience to be waited out." He concluded his statement with a broader challenge: "If the death of a young Nigerian woman in a Minister's residence cannot stir this government to act, then Nigerians must ask: whose life, exactly, does this government value?"
Atiku extended his condolences to the Habila family, saying Mary Habila was "a young professional with her life ahead of her" and that her death must not be reduced to "a footnote of political convenience."
Umahi's Response
Umahi publicly addressed the reports surrounding Habila's death, dismissing suggestions that the circumstances were being concealed. He clarified that it was Habila's own family who raised the alarm after becoming worried about her welfare, forcing open her room before contacting medical personnel. Umahi said, according to The Cable: "The family broke the girl's door, called doctors from DUFUTH, who took her to hospital and did everything to revive her, but failed. The family reported the matter to the police, so where is the secrecy?"
Umahi confirmed that he had instructed an autopsy be carried out to establish the cause of death, stressing that the procedure would only proceed with the approval of Habila's parents, who are currently in Ebonyi state. He described Habila as a committed staff member of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH) and rejected what he characterised as misleading narratives. Furthermore, the minister disclosed that he had tasked his legal team with pursuing action against individuals he accused of spreading falsehoods, adding that the deceased's parents would also speak to journalists and pursue their own legal proceedings.
Broader Context
The mystery surrounding Habila's death has become one of the biggest scandals in Nigeria in 2026. Atiku alleged that Umahi had been allowed to shape public perception through statements from personal aides and private lawyers corresponding with police, while continuing his ministerial duties without interruption. The opposition leader stressed that he was not pronouncing guilt on anyone, but argued that the refusal to guarantee an independent inquiry was itself the scandal. He stated: "Only a credible, independent, and transparent investigation can establish the truth."
