The Ebonyi State Police Command has insisted on conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death of 26-year-old nurse, Mary Habila, who died at the country home of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state.
The command said it is awaiting the cooperation of the deceased’s family to proceed with the post-mortem examination as investigations into the incident continue.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, the police disclosed that a distress report was received on June 27, 2026, from the Divisional Police Officer in Ohaozara regarding a medical emergency involving the nurse.
According to the statement, the Divisional Police Officer arrived at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital in Uburu, where medical personnel confirmed that Habila had already been brought in dead. The case was immediately reported to the Commissioner of Police, who directed that it be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a detailed investigation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Mary Habila and her colleague, Anita Baaki, were members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu. The police said Habila was found dead in a room within the minister’s residential compound.
Detectives have since visited the scene, interviewed relevant individuals and continued gathering evidence as part of the investigation.
The command stated that a pathologist would be engaged to conduct an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death. However, it disclosed that the deceased’s family had objected to the post-mortem examination.
Despite the family’s position, the police maintained that an autopsy is necessary due to the sensitive nature of the case and to ensure the actual cause of death is scientifically determined.
The command added that it is waiting for the deceased’s relatives or their authorised representative to be present before the examination can be carried out.
The Ebonyi State Police Command assured the public that the investigation would be thorough, transparent and impartial, promising to provide updates as more information becomes available.
