Habila and Umahi
According to Umahi, Habila spoke with her boyfriend on the night before her death, and complained of a nose-bleed.
Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Thursday, said Miss Mary Habila, the nurse who died at his country home residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition at Turkish Hospital in Abuja.
Umahi said Habila’s family had been paying the medical bill, stating that the last hospital bill, amounting to about N2.2 million, was settled on April 5.
Not holding back, he said the relevant medical records of Miss Habila were available at the hospital.
According to Umahi, Habila spoke with her boyfriend on the night before her death, and complained of a nose-bleed.
Umahi told journalists that the late Habila whom he said was a nurse and not a physiotherapist, was “like a daughter” to him and called for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of her death.
Habila until her death was a nurse at the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu. She died on June 27, 2026, at the minister’s residence in Umunaga, Uburu.
“The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist.
“Habila and another female staff member from Benue State were the only occupants of the guest house, which he said is separate from his personal residence.
Umahi said Habila spoke with her boyfriend on the night before she was found dead and informed him that she was experiencing a nosebleed.
“She told the boyfriend she was bleeding from the nose. The boyfriend advised her to report it to her boss. She later told him the bleeding had stopped.
“He then said he would end the call so she could rest. She pleaded with him not to end the conversation, but he did. About three minutes later, he called back and she was no longer answering her phone,” the minister said.
Umahi said Habila’s colleagues became concerned the following morning after repeated attempts to reach her failed, prompting them to forcibly open the door to her room and found her lifeless.
“When they broke the door, they found her dead. The tap was still running. I think she wanted to have her bath,” he said.
Umahi said that he had instructed his lawyers to request an autopsy to determine the cause of death, and had asked that the body should not be released for burial until the procedure was carried out.
“We told our lawyer that an autopsy should be done. We are appealing to the parents to allow it. They said it is against their culture,” he said.
Umahi also revealed that he had reported the matter to the Inspector-General of Police and requested that the investigation be transferred to Abuja.
