Legal advice deepens Umahi’s aide death mystery

The circumstances surrounding the death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to the office of Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, have become increasingly complex as authorities seek clarity. Legal advice from the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice indicates that a post-mortem examination is crucial to ascertain the cause of her sudden demise, as initial evidence does not point to any pre-existing health issues.

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The prolonged withholding of our client’s daughter’s remains has caused our client and his family immense emotional, psychological, financial and cultural hardship.

While investigators are gathering information and inviting relevant individuals, Habila's family is intensifying their demand for the immediate release of her body for burial. They cite cultural and personal reasons for their strong opposition to an autopsy, emphasizing their immediate need to perform traditional and religious rites. This disagreement has placed the case at a critical juncture, with the Inspector-General of Police expected to intervene.

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Our client’s family has been denied the opportunity to perform the customary and religious burial rites to which every deceased person is entitled.

The family, through their lawyer, has formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, accusing the Ebonyi State Police Command of unlawfully detaining Habila's corpse for weeks. The petition highlights the immense emotional, psychological, and financial hardship the prolonged withholding of the body has inflicted, preventing the family from fulfilling their burial obligations. They are urging the IG to take over the matter and ensure the swift release of the corpse.

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The family’s position remained unchanged. He said his only request was to take