Umahi Gives Fresh Account of Nurse’s Death, Says Mary Habila Reported Nosebleed During Final Call With Boyfriend

Minister of Works David Umahi has disclosed that Mary Habila, the nurse who died at a guest house within his residence in Ebonyi State, spoke with her boyfriend shortly before her death and complained of a nosebleed.

Umahi made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja while briefing journalists on recently approved federal road projects, using the opportunity to address public concerns surrounding Habila’s death, which has attracted widespread attention across the country.

The minister described the late nurse as someone who was “like a daughter” to him, saying she had worked closely with his team for about three years. He clarified that Habila was a qualified nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, dismissing earlier reports that identified her as a physiotherapist.

According to Umahi, Habila informed her boyfriend during a telephone conversation on the night of the incident that she was experiencing a nosebleed. He said the boyfriend later attempted to call her back a few minutes after ending the conversation but received no response.

The minister also stated that Habila had a history of health challenges and had previously received medical treatment, including care at a Turkish hospital, with expenses he said were covered by him and his family.

Umahi maintained that there was no attempt to conceal the circumstances surrounding the incident. He reiterated his call for a forensic autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and appealed to Habila’s family to permit the procedure despite reported cultural reservations.

The nurse, who reportedly died on June 27 while attached to the minister’s medical team, was found unresponsive in her room after colleagues and family members became concerned when she could no longer be reached. Police authorities in Ebonyi have since confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, with an autopsy expected to play a key role in establishing the cause of death.

The case has continued to generate public interest, with various individuals and groups calling for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death. Authorities have yet to release the results of any forensic examination, and no official determination has been made regarding the cause of death.