Mary Habila: Dalung demands independent probe, raises questions over death of minister’s nurse

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung, has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Miss Mary Habila, a staff member who died at the residence of Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State.

Dalung made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday, saying the matter was not about personalities but about protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s institutions and ensuring accountability.

The former minister also shared what he described as an affidavit reportedly sworn by the father of the deceased, while raising concerns over issues surrounding Habila’s employment status and the circumstances of her death.

He said if reports that Habila served as the minister’s personal nurse were accurate, Nigerians deserved clarification on whether she was a Federal Government employee and the legal basis for her assignment.

“If reports are accurate that Mary Habila served as the Minister’s personal nurse, Nigerians deserve clarification. Was she employed by the Federal Government? If so, under what legal arrangement was a public employee assigned as a personal nurse to a serving minister? Was she officially posted, seconded, or privately engaged?” Dalung asked.

He said the questions were legitimate concerns about the possible use of public resources and should be addressed by relevant authorities.

Dalung also questioned the reported affidavit by Habila’s father indicating that the family no longer wished to pursue further investigations into her death.

While acknowledging the family’s right to make decisions regarding their loved one, he argued that unexplained deaths could remain issues of public concern, especially where there were questions requiring official clarification.

“Criminal investigations are not conducted merely on behalf of families; they are conducted on behalf of society. That is why criminal cases are ordinarily prosecuted in the name of the State,” he said.

The former minister stressed that if investigators establish that the death involved suspicious circumstances, the law should take its course regardless of public pressure, political influence or the wishes of individuals connected to the matter.

Dalung said the best way to resolve the controversy surrounding Habila’s death was through an independent investigation capable of producing findings that would command public confidence.

“The surest way to end speculation is not through press statements or competing narratives. It is through an independent, transparent investigation whose findings can withstand public scrutiny,” he said.

Habila, who worked with the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, and was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, died on June 27, 2026, at a building within the minister’s residence in Uburu.

Umahi has requested that the Nigeria Police Force conduct an autopsy involving qualified forensic pathologists to establish the cause of her death, while urging that her remains not be released until investigations are concluded.

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