Our wish is simply to bury her according to family traditions and bring closure to a painful chapter
By Mmesoma Onwuka
The family of Mary Habila, a young nurse who died last month while attached to the office of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has appealed directly to Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu for the immediate release of her remains. The family states that the ongoing withholding of her body has entirely halted their funeral and burial plans.
At the heart of the current delay is a standoff between law enforcement authorities and the grieving family regarding a post-mortem examination.
Investigators are seeking an official autopsy to legally establish the medical cause of death.
Relatives firmly oppose the procedure, pointing to personal, cultural, and traditional beliefs that conflict with a post-mortem examination.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the family’s legal counsel, Kaile Yusuf, emphasized that relatives have cooperated fully with all police mandates. He argued that keeping the body in official custody serves no further investigative purpose and only exacerbates the family’s emotional distress.
The family explicitly clarified that they are not leveling accusations against anyone regarding her passing; their sole objective is reclaiming her remains for burial.
Additionally, Yusuf corrected previous media inaccuracies concerning her career, confirming that Habila was a fully qualified nurse with a background in the health sector, rather than a physiotherapist as some initial reports claimed.
“Our wish is simply to bury her according to family traditions and bring closure to a painful chapter.”
The lawyer echoed this sentiment, urging the police leadership to step in decisively so the family can begin to heal.
Habila passed away on June 27, 2026, while serving on the medical team assigned to Minister David Umahi’s office. Because of her high-profile work placement, her sudden death has garnered considerable public scrutiny.
Nearly three weeks after her passing, law enforcement has not made any official findings public, and police leadership has yet to formally respond to the family’s latest petition.