Minister of Works David Umahi has disclosed the final words of nurse Mary Habila, who died at his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State. According to Umahi, Habila pleaded with her boyfriend not to end their phone call moments before she was found unresponsive in a bathroom.
Final Phone Conversation Details
Umahi recounted that Habila first called her boyfriend that morning to inform him she was about to bathe. She called again shortly after, reporting that she was bleeding from her nose. Her boyfriend advised her to seek help and suggested that staying on the call could worsen the bleeding. When he indicated he would end the call, Habila pleaded, saying, 'Don't cut the call.' He eventually ended the call, and when he called back about three minutes later, she was no longer responding.
Concerned by her silence, those nearby forced the door open and found the tap still running. Habila was later pronounced dead.
Umahi Denies Foul Play, Highlights Care
The minister firmly rejected allegations connecting him or his lodgings to the incident. He stated that Habila and a fellow female medical worker had been staying in a guest house situated well away from where he was housed, and accused those spreading contrary narratives of political motivations.
'I don't suspect any foul play. She was one of my best workers, a nurse who administered medication to us, even at my residence in Asokoro. It is painful because she was like a daughter to me,' Umahi said.
Umahi revealed that Habila had lived with his family for three years and that he had taken an active role in managing her health. He noted that her medical records from a Turkish hospital documented ongoing treatment, with her most recent visit on April 5 costing approximately N2.2 million, an amount he said he covered personally.
He also clarified that Habila was a registered nurse, not a physiotherapist, as had been reported in some quarters.
Autopsy and Investigation Requested
Umahi said he has asked the Inspector-General of Police to move the investigation to Abuja in the interest of transparency. He also directed investigators to obtain call logs from both Habila and her boyfriend to corroborate his account of their final conversation.
On the question of an autopsy, the minister appealed to Habila's family to reconsider their objection, which he said was rooted in cultural concerns.
'I am begging the family to meet with the Inspector-General of Police so they can be convinced to allow the autopsy. We have directed that the body should not be released until that is done,' he said.
Umahi condemned what he characterised as deliberate attempts to politicise the nurse's death and urged the public to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.
Police Proceed with Autopsy
The Ebonyi State Police Command announced it will proceed with an autopsy on Habila's body even after her family declined to consent to the procedure. Police spokesperson Joshua Ukandu, a superintendent of police, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, July 16, saying the autopsy was necessary to determine the true cause of Habila's death.
