By CHARLES IWUOHA

Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, through his team of lawyers have petitioned the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, urging that an autopsy on the late Mary Habila be conducted before her remains are released for burial.

In a letter dated July 15, 2026, and acknowledged by the Ebonyi State Police Command on the same day, the law firm, Roy & Associates, said it was acting on the instruction of the Minister.

According to the petition, Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, who was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, died on June 27, 2026, in a staff residential building located within Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The lawyers explained that the deceased did not reside in the same building as the minister. They said the building was designated for members of Umahi’s staff and other personnel working with him.

They further stated that on the night of her death, only Habila and another female occupant, identified as a physiotherapist, were in the building.

The legal team urged the police to ensure that a comprehensive autopsy is conducted by qualified forensic pathologists to scientifically determine the actual cause and circumstances of Habila’s death.

They also requested that Habila’s remains should not be released to anyone, including her next of kin, until the autopsy and all other relevant investigative procedures have been completed.

According to the lawyers, the request is aimed at preserving the integrity of the ongoing investigation, eliminating speculation, and ensuring that the true cause of Habila’s death is conclusively established before her burial.

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