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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Father requests nurse's body for burial, resisting autopsy amid police probe

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A nurse's father is requesting her body for burial without an autopsy, citing the family's inability to bear prolonged grief.
  • Police insist an autopsy is necessary to determine the cause of death, leading to a family legal challenge.
  • The deceased nurse reportedly died at the residence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who denies any foul play.

The father of Mary Habila, a 26-year-old nurse who died at the Ebonyi State residence of Works Minister David Umahi, has pleaded for her body to be released for burial without an autopsy. Habila Wisdom stated that the family cannot endure a prolonged delay over his daughter's death.

We don’t keep the death of a little child up to so long, just like this. So that is why I am here to say once again and for all, I need the corpse of my daughter to take her for burial. That is what I am standing on.

— Habila WisdomMary Habila's father explained his family's urgent desire to bury his daughter without an autopsy.

"We don’t keep the death of a little child up to so long, just like this. So that is why I am here to say once again and for all, I need the corpse of my daughter to take her for burial. That is what I am standing on," Wisdom said in an interview shared by Trust TV News. He emphasized that the family's rejection of a post-mortem is driven by an urgent need for closure, not suspicion.

That is why I said I don’t want the autopsy. That is why I am demanding the corpse of my daughter to go and bury her now.

— Habila WisdomMary Habila's father reiterated his plea for the immediate release of his daughter's body for burial.

Wisdom described Habila's relationship with her workplace and the minister's household as warm, stating, "Very cordial relationship, both in her working place, in my home and everywhere." He added, "I am not suspecting anybody because death can occur. Even as we are standing here, one can fall here now and die. So we are not suspecting anybody. It has happened, it has happened."

Very cordial relationship, both in her working place, in my home and everywhere. I am not suspecting anybody because death can occur. Even as we are standing here, one can fall here now and die. So we are not suspecting anybody. It has happened, it has happened.

— Habila WisdomMary Habila's father described his daughter's relationships and stated he had no suspicions about her death.

Habila reportedly died on June 27 in a room within Umahi's compound in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area. The Ebonyi State Police Command insists an autopsy is crucial to establish the cause of death. Despite the father's position, the family has approached the Ebonyi State High Court to seek the withdrawal of the police investigation. Minister Umahi has also stated that no foul play was involved, describing Habila as "like a daughter" who had worked with him for about three years.

like a daughter

— David UmahiMinister of Works David Umahi described the deceased nurse Mary Habila.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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