Engr David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has, through his legal team, petitioned the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, requesting that an autopsy be performed on the deceased Mary Habila prior to the release of her remains for interment.
In a letter dated July 15, 2026, and received by the Ebonyi State Police Command on that date, the legal firm Roy & Associates stated it was acting under the minister’s directive.
The petition states that Habila, an employee of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences in Uburu, who was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works, passed away on June 27, 2026, in a staff residential building situated within Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The solicitors clarified that the deceased did not inhabit the same edifice as the minister.
The building was allocated for members of Umahi’s team and other professionals collaborating with him.
They additionally asserted that on the night of her demise, just Habila and another female resident, known as a physiotherapist, were there in the building.
The legal team implored the police to guarantee that a thorough autopsy is performed by competent forensic pathologists to scientifically ascertain the true cause and circumstances of Habila’s death.
They further demanded that Habila’s remains not be released to anybody, including her next of kin, until the autopsy and other pertinent investigative procedures have been finalised.
The attorneys assert that the request seeks to maintain the integrity of the current inquiry, eradicate conjecture, and guarantee that the definitive cause of Habila’s death is determined prior to her interment.