By Amaka Okafor
The Ebonyi State Police Command has said it will proceed to conduct a post-mortem examination on Miss Mary Habila despite opposition from her family, describing the procedure as necessary to determine the exact cause of her death.
In a press statement on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, said the command received a distress call on June 27, 2026, from the Divisional Police Officer of Ohaozara Division over a medical emergency involving Habila.
According to the statement, the DPO arrived at David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu, where hospital authorities informed him that Habila had been brought in dead.
Ukandu said the DPO immediately briefed the Commissioner of Police, who directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a comprehensive investigation.
The police said preliminary findings showed that the deceased and a colleague were members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu, where she reportedly died in a room within the compound of his residence.
The statement added that detectives had visited the scene and obtained statements from relevant persons as part of the investigation.
The command disclosed that it had concluded arrangements to engage the services of a pathologist to carry out a post-mortem examination aimed at determining the cause of death and supporting the investigation.
The police, however, noted that the deceased’s family had expressed opposition to an autopsy but maintained that the examination remained necessary because of “the sensitive nature of the case and the imperative of establishing the true cause of death.”
“The Command therefore awaits the attendance of the family or their duly appointed representative, as their presence is essential to the conduct of the post-mortem examination,” the statement said, adding that the Ebonyi State Police Command remained committed to a “thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation” and would provide further updates as the case progresses.
