The family of Mary Habila, a 26-year-old nurse who was found dead at the country home of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, to direct the immediate release of her remains for burial.
The appeal was contained in a petition submitted to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, with the family also threatening legal action against the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police over the continued withholding of the body.
Addressing journalists after submitting the petition, the family’s lawyer, Kaile Adamu Yusuf, said the relatives had fulfilled all police requirements for the release of the body but were yet to receive it.
Yusuf explained that the family had declined an autopsy on the deceased, citing religious, cultural and traditional beliefs.
He also expressed concern over public narratives surrounding Mary’s death, describing reports portraying her as “a runs girl” as false and misleading.
According to him, the deceased was a qualified nurse employed by the Umahi University of Health Sciences before she was seconded to the Minister of Works’ office, where she had served for about three years.
He alleged that despite repeated efforts by the family to retrieve the body for burial, it remained in police custody, adding that the matter was being unnecessarily politicised.
“The family has complied with all the procedures required by the police in Ebonyi State to collect the body for burial, yet it has not been released,” Yusuf said.
He confirmed that the Minister of Works had requested an autopsy on several occasions but said the family remained opposed to the procedure because of deeply held personal, cultural and religious convictions.
Yusuf said the petition asked the Inspector-General of Police to intervene by directing the Ebonyi State Police Command to release the remains without further delay.
Also speaking, Mary’s father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, appealed to the authorities to allow the family to bury their daughter, insisting they had no suspicion against any individual over her death.
“We only want the body of our daughter so we can give her a proper burial. We do not want an autopsy, and we are not accusing anybody because death can happen at any time,” he said.
He urged the police to respect the family’s wishes and avoid allowing the incident to become a political issue.
Mary Habila reportedly died on June 27, 2026, at the country home of the Minister of Works in Ebonyi State. The family says it is awaiting the response of the Inspector-General of Police to its petition seeking the release of her remains for burial.
