Minister of Works, David Umahi, has described the late nurse, Mary Habila, as “like a daughter” to him, expressing grief over her death and dismissing attempts to politicise the incident.

Speaking during a press briefing, Umahi said Habila had lived with him for three years and was a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu.

He clarified that Habila was a nurse and not a physiotherapist, adding that their families shared a close relationship.

According to the minister, Habila had been receiving medical treatment at the Turkish Hospital, with her latest medical bill of about ₦2.2 million paid by him.

Umahi recounted that shortly before her death, Habila spoke with her boyfriend and complained of bleeding from her nose.

“She called her boyfriend at the hour of her death and complained that she was bleeding from the nose. He advised her to report it, but she said she didn’t want to disturb me. Three minutes after he ended the call and tried calling back, she was no longer responding,” he said.

He described her death as deeply painful.

“It is very painful to me that the girl passed on. Everything has become politics in this country. People should be careful when they use the unfortunate death of a young girl to play politics,” Umahi added.

Unfiltered Reporting had earlier reported that the Ebonyi State Police Command and the family of the late Mary Habila are at odds over plans to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of her death after she reportedly died at the minister’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.

The police said an autopsy is necessary to scientifically establish the cause of death and disclosed that investigations are ongoing after officers visited the scene and obtained statements from relevant persons. However, the deceased’s family has reportedly opposed the post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, activist Omoyele Sowore has called for a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death, urging authorities to complete all legal and forensic procedures before her burial.

Ebonyi Police spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, however, said he could not confirm claims circulating about the circumstances of her death, noting that he was not present at the scene.