TD Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the death of Mary Habila, insisting that Nigerians deserve answers over the circumstances surrounding the 26-year-old’s death.
In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, Atiku expressed sadness over Habila’s death.
He accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of failing to provide transparency and accountability in the handling of the case.
Habila, a native of Nok in Southern Kaduna, reportedly died on June 27, 2026, at the private residence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
She had accompanied the minister as part of his official medical team.
“Condolences Are Not Enough”
Atiku extended his condolences to the deceased’s family, describing Habila’s death as a painful tragedy.
“I have followed with deep sorrow and mounting concern the reports surrounding the death of Miss Mary Habila,” he said.
“No family should have to mourn a daughter taken in the prime of her life while also fighting simply to learn the truth of how she died.”
The former vice president, however, argued that expressions of sympathy alone were insufficient, maintaining that the Nigerian public deserves a full explanation of what transpired.
“But condolences are not enough. Nigerians deserve answers, and it is on this score that the Tinubu administration has failed, comprehensively and disgracefully,” he stated.
Raises Questions Over Investigation
Atiku questioned what he described as the government’s silence following Habila’s death.
According to him, it took media reports before news of the incident became widely known, despite the fact that the deceased reportedly died inside the residence of a serving federal minister.
He noted that weeks after the incident, no official cause of death had been announced and no autopsy had been completed.
The former vice president also expressed concern that the investigation remains under the Ebonyi State Police Command.
He argued that public confidence could be affected because Umahi previously served two terms as governor of the state.
He further criticized what he described as the silence of key government institutions, including the Presidency, the Federal Executive Council, the Inspector-General of Police and the National Assembly.
“Not one word. Not one directive. Not one gesture to assure Nigerians that the life of Mary Habila matters to this government,” Atiku said.
“No Pronouncement on Guilt or Innocence”
Despite his criticism of the government’s handling of the matter, Atiku stressed that he was not accusing anyone of wrongdoing.
“Let me be clear: I make no pronouncement on anyone’s guilt or innocence,” he stated.
He argued that only a credible, independent and transparent investigation could establish the true circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
According to him, the controversy stems not from any established criminal liability but from what he described as the Federal Government’s failure to guarantee an investigation that commands public confidence.
Calls for Umahi to Step Aside
Among his demands, Atiku called on President Tinubu to direct Minister of Works David Umahi to temporarily step aside while investigations continue.
According to the former vice president, such a decision should not be viewed as punishment but as a demonstration of accountability.
“This is not a punishment; it is the minimum standard of public accountability in any serious democracy,” he said.
“No official under this cloud should preside over a federal ministry as though it were business as usual.”
Seeks Transfer of Investigation
Atiku also urged the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation from the Ebonyi State Police Command to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
He recommended that independent forensic experts be involved in the investigation to ensure impartiality and restore public confidence.
According to him, an investigation conducted outside the minister’s home state would be better positioned to eliminate perceptions of undue influence.
Demands Independent Autopsy
The former vice president further called for what he described as a full, independent and internationally credible autopsy to determine the precise cause of Habila’s death.
He urged authorities to carry out the post-mortem examination without further delay and make the findings available to the public.
“The stalemate over the post-mortem, three weeks after this young woman’s death, is an indictment of every institution involved,” Atiku stated.
Calls for Protection of Family
Atiku also urged authorities to ensure that Habila’s family is protected from any form of intimidation, pressure or inducement throughout the investigation.
He said the family should have unrestricted access to information concerning the circumstances of their daughter’s death.
“The family of Mary Habila must be protected from any pressure, inducement, or intimidation, and must be guaranteed unfettered access to the facts of their daughter’s death,” he added.
Police Continue Investigation
The former vice president’s statement comes amid ongoing investigations by the Ebonyi State Police Command.
Police have confirmed that Habila was brought dead to the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital after the incident and that detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department are handling the case.
The command has also stated that it intends to conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death, despite the deceased’s family filing an affidavit rejecting an autopsy and requesting the release of her body for burial.
The case has continued to generate widespread public attention, with civil society organisations, political figures and members of the public.
They call for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the young woman’s death.
