Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has dismissed allegations linking him to the death of Mary Habila, saying the deceased had been battling a strange illness and that he personally paid over ₦2.2 million for her medical treatment.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Umahi said Habila had been receiving treatment at the Turkish Hospital, with all her medical expenses covered by him.
Providing details of the events leading to her death, the minister said Habila had spoken with her boyfriend shortly before she died and complained of a nosebleed.
According to Umahi, the boyfriend advised her to seek immediate medical attention.
“The boyfriend called back about three minutes later, but she did not answer,” he said.
The minister explained that after several failed attempts to reach her, her room was forced open and she was found dead. He added that the bathroom tap was still running after she had earlier informed her boyfriend that she was going to take a bath.
“The guest house where she stayed is nowhere near where I live. Does it mean that if someone dies in the Ministry of Works, the minister must automatically be held responsible?” Umahi asked.
He acknowledged that Habila was one of the medical personnel assigned to attend to him at both his guest house and official residence in Asokoro, insisting that there was no basis for the allegations being circulated.
Umahi also defended another medical staff member mentioned in media reports, explaining that she had worked with him since his time as Governor of Ebonyi State before securing federal employment.
The minister disclosed that Habila’s family initially objected to an autopsy on cultural grounds, but said he instructed his lawyers to insist on obtaining medical records and directed that her body should not be released until an autopsy is conducted.
He added that the matter had been reported to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), with a request that the investigation be handled in Abuja.
Umahi appealed to the deceased’s family to cooperate with investigators by consenting to the autopsy, describing it as the best way to determine the actual cause of her death.
He also directed investigators to obtain and analyse the call records between Habila and her boyfriend, noting that their final conversation took place only minutes before she died.
The minister further recalled that during an earlier official trip to Lagos, Habila had suffered a similar nosebleed and informed her boyfriend, who again advised her to seek immediate medical attention.
Umahi described her death as a painful loss, saying she was one of his most dedicated staff members and would be difficult to replace.
He urged Nigerians to refrain from spreading misinformation and allow the police to complete their investigation, maintaining that all relevant medical records from the Turkish Hospital were available to assist investigators.
The minister also dismissed attempts to link him to the incident, describing efforts to politicise the young woman’s death as unfair and misleading.
He disclosed that Habila had lived with his family for three years and served as a nurse attached to his residence and guest house.
Umahi also debunked reports describing the deceased as a physiotherapist, clarifying that she was a nurse and a staff member of the Federal University of Health Sciences.
