FRESH details have emerged surrounding the tragic death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences (DUFUS), as her close friend and colleague has provided a sworn account of the nurse’s final hours.
Anita Baaki, a physiotherapist who worked alongside Miss Habila, has filed an affidavit before the Ebonyi State High Court, recounting the events that preceded her friend’s untimely demise.
According to the statement, Baaki and other ministry staff had travelled from Abuja to Ebonyi State on June 24 for official duties under the Minister of Works, David Umahi. The delegation was accommodated in staff chalets situated within the minister’s country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.
Baaki stated that Miss Habila returned to the chalet complex on the evening of June 26 after having her hair done, and briefly visited her room for a chat. After their conversation, the nurse mentioned she was fatigued and intended to shower before retiring for the night.
That, Baaki said, was the last time she saw her colleague alive.
The following morning, concerned colleagues made repeated attempts to reach Miss Habila by phone, but all calls went unanswered. When they discovered her room locked from the inside, staff were forced to force entry and found her lying unconscious near the entrance.
She was immediately rushed to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.
Minister’s Legal Team Seeks Transparency
In a separate development, legal representatives for Minister Umahi have formally written to the Ebonyi State Police Command, requesting a comprehensive forensic autopsy before Miss Habila’s body is released for burial.
The legal team emphasised that the move is designed to ensure transparency, preserve potential evidence and definitively establish the cause of death. They also moved to clarify that Miss Habila had been staying in accommodation reserved for staff members and associates, rather than the minister’s personal residence.
The lawyers have urged police to delay the release of the body until all forensic examinations and investigative procedures have been completed, stressing that scientific findings—rather than speculation—should determine the cause of death.
Police investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
