Minister of Works,Engr. David Umahi, has spoken publicly for the first time on the death of a female staff member linked to him, insisting that an autopsy must be conducted to establish the cause of death while rejecting allegations that he or his family had any involvement.
Speaking on Thursday, Umahi said his lawyers had already responded to the allegations but that he felt compelled to address what he described as misinformation surrounding the incident.
Recall that reports had it that two young women from Kaduna state – Mary Habila and Mary Baski – left home and visited the country home of Umahi, in Uburu, Ivo LGA of Ebonyi state, where they spent the night or many nights.
In the morning of June 26, 2026, Mary Habila was found dead in her room in the minister’s palatial residence. The other lady, Mary Baski, has since according to the reports, disappeared into thin air.
She has not uttered a word about the death of her colleague and friend, and nobody knows where she is. The mystery surrounding the death of Miss Habila in Umahi’s residence has become one of the biggest scandals this year.
Clarifying issues, Umahi said the deceased was a nurse and a staff member of the Federal Medical University, Uburu, and not a physiotherapist as widely reported. He added that she didn’t equally die in the house where he lives.
“The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She stayed with me for three years. She was a nurse and a staff member of the Federal Medical University, not a physiotherapist,” he said.
Umahi described the deceased as a trusted worker and said their families shared a close relationship. He disclosed that she had been receiving treatment at a Turkish hospital and that he personally settled her medical bills, including a payment of ₦2.2 million made on April 5.
According to the minister, the woman spoke with her boyfriend shortly before her death and informed him that she was experiencing a nosebleed.
He said the boyfriend advised her to report the condition, but she replied that the bleeding had stopped. She also told him she intended to take a bath.
Umahi said the boyfriend called her again about three minutes later but received no response.
Concerned about her welfare, people later forced open the door to her room and found her dead with the water tap still running.
“The guest house where she died is far from where I live, so it is unfair to hold me responsible simply because it belongs to the Ministry of Works. People should stop using the unfortunate death of a young girl to play politics,” he said.
He added, “Her death is very painful to me because she was one of my best workers.”
The minister said he had repeatedly appealed to the deceased’s family through his lawyers to allow an autopsy but that the family declined because of cultural beliefs.
“We have been begging the family to allow an autopsy, but they said it is against their culture. Through our lawyers, we insisted that an autopsy must be carried out, and I have directed that the body should not be released until it is done,” Umahi said.
He also disclosed that he had asked the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja and engage with the family to obtain consent for the autopsy.
Umahi said the deceased had experienced previous episodes of nosebleeding and claimed that her boyfriend confirmed she had reported another incident while the minister was in Lagos.
According to him, the boyfriend advised her to seek medical attention or inform him, but she reportedly chose not to do so because she did not want to disturb him.
The minister said he had requested that investigators retrieve the call records between the deceased and her boyfriend and examine their final conversation.
“I have asked the police to retrieve the call logs between her and her boyfriend so they can listen to their final conversation,” he said.
Umahi maintained that the available evidence did not suggest foul play. He noted that another woman was present in the building, the room was locked from the inside and had to be forced open, and the running tap indicated that the deceased was preparing to take a bath before the incident.
He also dismissed photographs circulating on social media, saying they were taken by the police at the mortuary before the body was prepared and were later used to spread false information.
“I have instructed my lawyers to take legal action against those responsible for cyberbullying and spreading false information, and we intend to test the law on the matter,” Umahi said.
The minister insisted that the investigation should be allowed to continue without political interference and expressed confidence that the autopsy and police inquiry would establish the true circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.
