The body of 26-year-old physiotherapist Mary Habila, who died at the residence of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, is yet to be released to her family after the Ebonyi State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised that only a post-mortem examination can establish the cause of her sudden death, according to an update by SaharaReporters on the running story.
A source familiar with the investigation told SaharaReporters that the body remains in the custody of the authorities following the DPP’s legal advice, which concluded that a post-mortem examination was necessary to determine the cause of Habila’s death and guide the ongoing police investigation.
In a legal advice exclusively obtained by the New York-based online news media, dated July 15, 2026, and addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Ebonyi State Police Command, the Director of Public Prosecutions, J.U. Chukwu, said he had reviewed the case file relating to the “sudden and unnatural death” of Habila.
According to the DPP, the available evidence showed that Habila was alone when she was found dead inside her apartment.
“That the evidence available shows that the deceased was alone at the time she was found dead in her apartment,” the legal advice stated.
It further stated: “That there was no evidence that the deceased was indisposed, sick or unstable health wise prior to her sudden death, as she was full of life at the time she returned to Uburu in company of her team.”
Raising questions over the circumstances surrounding her death, the DPP said the only way to establish what caused Habila’s sudden death was through a post-mortem examination.
“From the foregoing therefore, the question that would readily come to mind is what exactly caused the deceased sudden death? This curiosity under the law can only be resolved through a post mortem examination, so as to provide a clue to the police as to the direction of their investigation,” the legal advice stated.
Despite that conclusion, the DPP advised that the police exercise their discretion on whether to proceed with the autopsy or honour the wishes of Habila’s family.
“It is therefore the view of this office that the police invoke their discretionary power to either respect the request of the deceased family or proceed with the post mortem examination,” the legal advice added.
A source familiar with the investigation told SaharaReporters that, in view of the legal advice and the ongoing investigation, Habila’s body had not been released to her family.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Habila’s father, Baba Habila, went to a morgue in Abakaliki on Wednesday morning to receive his daughter’s body ahead of her planned burial in Nok, Kaduna State.
The family had announced that Habila would be buried on Friday and indicated that they would not be requesting an autopsy before the burial.
However, police sources had previously told SaharaReporters that investigators considered an autopsy essential before the body could be released, maintaining that the death remained under active investigation and that releasing the body before the completion of forensic and investigative procedures would be inappropriate given the significant public interest in the case.
Mary Habila died on June 27, 2026, at the residence of Minister David Umahi in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Following the report, Umahi confirmed that Habila died at his residence and said he had advised the family to consent to an autopsy to establish the cause of death.
The case has generated widespread public attention following conflicting accounts of the events leading to her death and growing calls for an independent and transparent investigation.
Police sources involved in the investigation disputed aspects of the minister’s account and maintained that investigators were not convinced Habila and Baski were employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences as claimed.
Investigators are also examining the sequence of events leading to Habila’s death, including who was present at the residence, what actions were taken after she was found unresponsive and when emergency medical assistance was requested.
The authorities have yet to publicly disclose the cause of Habila’s death, while the police investigation remains ongoing.
Source: SaharaReporters (but headline altered)
