The family of the late Mary Habila has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, to order the release of her remains, saying it has fulfilled all requirements for her burial but the body remains in police custody.
The appeal was made on Friday through the family’s lawyer, Kaile Yusuf, during a press briefing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Yusuf said Habila, a staff member attached to the Office of the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, died in Ebonyi State on June 27 and that her remains have remained in official custody since then.
According to the lawyer, the family has complied with all procedures stipulated by the Nigeria Police Force for the release of the body but has yet to receive approval to proceed with burial arrangements.
He described the continued retention of the body as unfortunate and urged the police authorities to allow the family to give the deceased a dignified burial.
Yusuf also sought to correct what he described as misinformation surrounding Habila’s identity and profession, stating that she was a trained nurse, not a physiotherapist.
He explained that she previously worked at the David Umahi University of Health Sciences before being deployed to the Office of the Minister of Works, where she served as a civil servant for about three years.
According to him, documents, including her appointment letter and salary records, confirm her employment status.
The lawyer further alleged that some individuals were attempting to politicise the circumstances surrounding her death, insisting there was no justification for withholding her remains.
He disclosed that the family had formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police against the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, seeking intervention to secure the immediate release of the body.
Yusuf also revealed that the family had repeatedly declined requests for an autopsy, citing personal, cultural and traditional reasons for its decision.
He dismissed allegations about the deceased’s character, describing them as false and unrelated to the family’s demand for the release of her body.
Speaking during the briefing, Mary Habila’s father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, made an emotional appeal, saying the family’s only wish was to bury their daughter in accordance with their traditions.
He stressed that the family was not accusing anyone over her death but simply wanted her remains released for burial.
Also speaking, a colleague of the deceased, Anita Baki, clarified that she was the physiotherapist, while Habila worked as a nurse.
Mary Habila reportedly died at a private residence belonging to the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Her death is currently under police investigation, with the Minister previously calling for a forensic inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Meanwhile, the family continued to oppose an autopsy and insists that its priority is to give the deceased a proper burial.
