Paul Ibe, media aide to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Nigerian government of failing in its handling of the death of Mary Habila, who reportedly died at the residence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
In a post on his verified X account on Friday, Ibe argued that under Nigerian law, suspicious, sudden or unnatural deaths are treated as offences against the state and require a thorough official investigation.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Force should have conducted a full criminal investigation and initiated a coroner’s inquest to determine the medical cause and circumstances surrounding Habila’s death, adding that such investigations do not depend on the consent of the deceased’s family.
“On the matter of Mary Habila, who died in the Uburu residence of Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi, David Umahi, the government failed abysmally in its responsibility.
“In situations involving deaths under suspicious circumstances such as this, the police are expected to secure the scene, collect forensic evidence and question anyone involved. Since homicide is a state offence, the government’s duty to investigate cannot be vetoed or halted, even by the grieving family.
“The question is, were autopsies conducted on Habila? The answer is no. Without a state conducted post mortem examination, how do we determine the cause of death, identify any foul play, torture or negligence?” he asked.
The comments come amid ongoing public debate over the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death, while investigations by the relevant authorities are still underway.
