The mysterious death of Nigerian nurse Mary Habila has sparked widespread attention beyond Nigeria after a close colleague disclosed the final moments they shared before she was found dead in Ebonyi State, intensifying demands for a transparent forensic investigation.
Habila, a nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences (DUFUS) and seconded to Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Works, travelled from Abuja to Ebonyi State with government officials for an official assignment.
In a sworn affidavit submitted before the Ebonyi State High Court, her colleague and friend, Anita Baaki, said the team stayed in a staff chalet reserved for government workers and associates within the minister’s country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.
Baaki recalled that on the evening of June 26, Habila returned after visiting a salon and stopped by her room to show her new hairstyle. After a brief conversation, Habila said she was exhausted and planned to take a shower before going to bed.
That was the last time anyone close to her saw her alive.
The next morning, repeated phone calls and knocks on her door received no response. Alarmed colleagues eventually forced the door open and found Habila lying unconscious near the entrance. She was rushed to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.
As public interest in the case continues to grow, lawyers representing Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, have asked the Ebonyi State Police Command to conduct a comprehensive forensic autopsy before releasing the body to her family.
The legal team said the forensic examination is essential to establish the exact cause of death, preserve crucial evidence, eliminate speculation, and ensure that the investigation is guided by scientific findings.
Police say investigations remain ongoing, with the outcome of the forensic autopsy expected to provide critical answers in one of Nigeria’s most closely watched death investigations.
