The family of the late Mary Habila has appealed to Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) to order the immediate release of her body for burial, nearly two weeks after the nurse died at the residence of the country’s Minister of Works.
The request was formally presented in a petition submitted at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where Mary’s father, Tanko Habila, appeared alongside his wife, other relatives and the family’s legal representatives. Speaking to journalists after filing the petition, the grieving father said the family has been left in distress by the continued retention of his daughter’s remains.
According to the family, the Ebonyi State Police Command has yet to release Mary Habila’s body despite repeated appeals. They argued that the prolonged delay has denied them the opportunity to bury their daughter and begin the healing process.
Tanko Habila said the family is not demanding an autopsy and has no intention of delaying the investigation. Instead, he urged the police leadership to allow them to give Mary a dignified burial in line with their family’s wishes and cultural traditions.
“As we are standing here, somebody can fall and die. It has happened. All we want is her body to be buried,” he told reporters, calling on the Inspector General of Police to personally intervene in the matter.
The case has attracted growing attention across Nigeria because of the circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death, which reportedly occurred at the residence of the Minister of Works. While police authorities continue to handle the matter, the family says their immediate concern is recovering her remains rather than pursuing further medical examinations.
Legal representatives for the family maintained that their petition seeks humanitarian consideration, arguing that keeping the body in the mortuary for an extended period has increased the emotional burden on relatives already coping with a painful loss.
As of the time of reporting, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official response to the family’s latest petition. The circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death remain under investigation, and authorities have not announced when the body may be released.
The family’s appeal has intensified public interest in the case, with many Nigerians closely watching for the police’s next steps. The outcome of the petition is expected to determine whether the family can finally proceed with burial arrangements while investigations continue.
