By Oscar Okhifo
The controversy surrounding the death of 26-year-old physiotherapist Mary Habila has taken another turn, as Pointblank News has reliably gathered that members of her family have left Ebonyi State without retrieving her body from the mortuary, forcing the postponement of her burial, which had been scheduled for Friday in Kaduna State.
The latest development comes as public interest in the case continues to grow, with many Nigerians demanding answers to unresolved questions surrounding Habila’s death at the Uburu residence of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, on June 27.
Sources familiar with the matter told Pointblank News that Habila’s family, accompanied by their lawyer, had been in Ebonyi State since Sunday in an effort to complete the necessary formalities to obtain her remains for burial in Kaduna State.
However, after several days of engagements with the relevant authorities, the delegation left the state without the body.
“The family has gone back without the body. Their lawyer was with them throughout the process, but they could not secure its release. That means the funeral earlier fixed for Friday can no longer hold,” a source familiar with the development told Pointblank News.
The exact reason the body was not released has not been officially disclosed.
However, sources indicated that investigators have yet to conclude critical aspects of the ongoing probe, making it impossible to release the remains to the family at this stage.
The latest twist has further intensified public attention on a case marked by conflicting accounts and widespread speculation since details of Habila’s death emerged.
Responding to the controversy earlier, Umahi said Habila was a physiotherapist attached to him from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences.
The minister denied allegations that there had been any attempt to conceal the incident, maintaining that the matter was reported to the police immediately after it occurred.
He also said he directed that a comprehensive autopsy be conducted to determine the actual cause of Habila’s death.
Despite those assurances, the incident has continued to generate nationwide debate.
Civil society organisations, women’s groups and political stakeholders have called for a transparent, independent and thorough investigation, insisting that only a credible process will restore public confidence and establish the truth.
Across social media, Nigerians have continued to raise questions about why news of the incident became public weeks after it reportedly occurred, whether all investigative procedures were activated promptly, the circumstances surrounding Habila’s assignment to the minister’s residence, whether all relevant witnesses have been interviewed, and whether every available forensic and investigative procedure is being pursued as part of the ongoing police investigation.
Some commentators have argued that, in the interest of public confidence, the minister should consider stepping aside while investigations continue, saying such a move would eliminate any perception of undue influence over the process.
Others disagree, maintaining that such a decision should await the outcome of the investigation and that no conclusions should be drawn until investigators establish the facts.
These views, however, remain opinions expressed by members of the public. Neither Habila’s family, the Minister of Works nor investigating authorities have publicly endorsed or substantiated them, and the circumstances surrounding her death remain the subject of an ongoing police investigation.
Meanwhile, claims circulating on social media regarding the condition in which Habila was allegedly found, as well as other details surrounding the incident, remain unverified.
Neither the Ebonyi State Police Command nor any other investigating authority has confirmed those claims, while the findings of the autopsy have yet to be made public.
In a fresh development, Pointblank News has exclusively obtained a letter written by solicitors to the Minister of Works, Roy D.U. Nwaeze & Co., and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, Abakaliki.
The letter, stamped as received on July 15, requested that Habila’s body should not be released to any person until an autopsy had been conducted to determine the cause of death.
It further stated that Habila was accommodated in the staff quarters within the minister’s premises alongside another occupant, and not inside the residential building occupied by Umahi.
Although the Ebonyi State Police Command has not publicly stated why the body was withheld from the family, the emergence of the letter raises the possibility that investigators considered the request while preserving the body pending the completion of forensic procedures.
However, the police have not confirmed whether their decision was based on the solicitors’ request or on other investigative considerations.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued a fresh statement indicating when Habila’s body would be released to her family or when the investigation would be concluded.
With the planned Friday burial now postponed and investigators yet to complete their work, public attention is expected to remain focused on the outcome of the police investigation and the autopsy, which many hope will provide definitive answers to the lingering questions surrounding Mary Habila’s death.