By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Determined not to take the route of autopsy ,and to bury their dead, the family of deceased Nurse Mary Habila, on Friday petitioned the Inspector -General of Police, IGP, Olatunji Disu, seeking the immediate release of the corpse of their daughter.
The source reports that Habila, an employee of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, in Ohaozara local council of Ebonyi State, died in circumstances yet-to-be determined at the Staff quarters inside the country home of Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works on June 27 ,2026 .
Her death has since triggered widespread indignation, condemnation and insinuations, with not a few calling for independent investigations, including an autopsy, to unravel the actual circumstances surrounding the incident .
The Works Minister apparently piqued by the groundswell of public outrage, and speculations suggesting foul play, had, in a letter dated July 15, 2026, addressed to the Ebonyi State Police Command, insisted on the conduct of a post-mortem examination before the release of the remains of Habila.
The Police in a statement on Thursday, July 17, 2026, informed that they have commenced moves to carry out an autopsy, despite strident opposition from the family of the deceased.
The Ebonyi State Police authorities in a statement from Joshua Ukandu, their spokesperson, emphasized that going by the sensitive nature of the case, as well as mounting public interest, an autopsy has become necessary to conclusively ascertain the cause (s) of death.
But the family which appears not to be persuaded, have insisted on not having any post-mortem examination carried out on the body of their daughter.
In an affidavit deposed to by Tanko Habila Wisdom, Habila father at the Ebonyi State High Court, the family, while distancing themselves from any planned autopsy, urged the police to release the remains of their daughter for burial.
The family in the said affidavit maintained that they will no longer be cooperating with the police or any other authorities in relation to any further investigations , including autopsy ,as they are not suspecting any foul play in the death of their daughter.
But faced with the insistence of the Ebonyi State Police Command on going ahead with its investigative processes, including a post-mortem before releasing Habila’s corpse, the family on Friday, took its case to the IGP.
Addressing the media at the Force Headquarters after the formal submission of their petition, Mary’s father reiterated the family’s earlier demand for the release of the remains of their daughter for burial. Flanked by his wife, other family members, and their legal representatives, Habila’s father, while reaffirming the family’s opposition to the conduct of an autopsy, emphasized that their petition centres on the need for the IGP to intervene and direct the Ebonyi State command to release their daughter’s corpse for burial.
He expressed regret and disappointment that almost two weeks after the death of their daughter, the Ebonyi Police Command has refused to release her remains to the family for burial.
According to the deceased father, since the family has no reason to suspect foul play in the death, they will appreciate it if the remains of their daughter are released to them.
“This thing (Habila’s death) has happened. Anybody can die at anytime . As we are standing here, somebody can just fall and die . So it has happened. All we want is her body to be released for burial”, he stated.
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