What Tinubu told me after Habila’s death

Minister of Works, David Umahi, says President Bola Tinubu rejected calls for his dismissal over the controversial death of a female nurse, Mary Habila, at his Uburu residence in Ebonyi State.

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PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Ms Habila, who was attached to Mr Umahi, was brought in dead to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu, Ebonyi State, on 27 June.

Speaking at an event, Mr Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi, said many people attempted to politicise Ms Habila’s death by calling for his sack as minister.

A video clip of the event has been circulating on Social media since Monday.

“When people took the death of one of my staff and started playing politics with it, they said the president should sack me, but the president surprised all of them and said, ‘Dave, go and build more roads’,” he said.

Why I cancelled my birthday celebration

Mr Umahi, who turned 63 in July, said he declined to celebrate his birthday as last respects for the nurse and one of his uncles who collapsed during a World Cup match.

The minister, however, regretted that despite being in mourning mood some Nigerians continued accusing him of killing the female nurse.

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“My prayer is that if any member of my family or I had any hand in it, let our own fate be worse,” he said.

“But for those who want to profit from it and play politics with it, if what they are saying is true, let it be well with them. Otherwise, the fate that befell the young lady will be worse for them.”

Background

On 27 June, Ms Habila was said to have died under controversial circumstances at Mr Umahi’s residence.

Ms Habila was part of the medical team attached to the minister and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu, where she reportedly died in a room within his residence.

In July, the works minister denied covering up the nurse’s death, insisting that the incident had been reported to the police for investigation.

He subsequently asked the police to conduct an autopsy on the body of the 26-year-old nurse to determine the actual cause of death.

The family opposed the autopsy and fixed burial date for 17 July, but the police insisted on going ahead with the autopsy.

Police spokesperson in Ebonyi State Joshua Ukandu later said in a statement that the police command was awaiting the presence of the family or their representative, as required before the autopsy could be carried out.

Mr Ukandu, a superintendent of police, assured that the investigation would be “thorough, transparent, and impartial” and that the command would provide updates as the case progresses.”

Mr Umahi, on his part, has denied having any hand in the death of the late nurse, insisting that her boyfriend has confessed she was ill before coming to Ebonyi.

READ ALSO: Group sues Umahi, IGP, others over Mary Habilas death

The minister further appealed to Ms Habila’s family to reconsider their insistence on shunning autopsy on the late nurse’s body, stressing that the post mortem examination would help establish the actual cause of her death amid mounting allegations of foul play.

But the family subsequently wrote to the IGP, demanding the immediate release of Ms Habila’s body for burial.

Meanwhile, many Nigerians have called for Mr Umahi’s resignation or sack from office over the death of the female nurse.

Recently, a civil society organisation, the Kwechiri Unity Forum, filed a lawsuit against Mr Umahi and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, alongside others over Ms Habila’s death.