Mary Habila’s family petitions IGP for release of her remains

By Angela Atabo

The family of late Mary Habila has on Friday petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, seeking an order directing the immediate release of her remains for burial.

The family’s lawyer, Kaile Yusuf, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on the family’s efforts to retrieve Habila’s body.

Yusuf said Habila, a staff member attached to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, died on June 27 in Ebonyi and her remains remain in official custody.

He said the family had fulfilled police requirements for the body’s release but had yet to receive approval to proceed with burial.

The lawyer said the briefing also aimed to correct alleged misinformation and false claims about Habila’s profession and personal character.

According to him, Habila was a qualified nurse, not a physiotherapist, and served at David Umahi University of Health Sciences before her deployment to the minister’s office.

He said she worked with the minister for about three years and remained a civil servant, supported by her appointment letter and salary records.

Yusuf described the continued withholding of the body as unjustified and alleged attempts by unnamed persons to politicise the matter.

He said the family petitioned the IGP against the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, seeking immediate release of the remains for burial.

The lawyer said the family rejected repeated requests for an autopsy, citing personal, cultural and traditional reasons.

He also dismissed allegations questioning Habila’s character, insisting such claims were false and should not distract from the family’s request.

Yusuf said the petition sought transfer of the matter to the Force Headquarters and disciplinary action against officers found to have acted unlawfully.

Also speaking at the briefing, Habila’s father, Tanko, appealed for the immediate release of his daughter’s body, saying the family only wanted to give her a befitting burial.

He said the family was not accusing anyone over the death and maintained it had cordial relations with Habila’s workplace before the incident.

A colleague, Anita Baki, described Habila’s death as sudden, clarified she was the physiotherapist, and reaffirmed that the deceased served as a nurse.

Mary Habila died on June 27 in Ebonyi while serving as a staff member in the Office of the Minister of Works and her remains have since remained in police custody.

The family said it has complied with police requirements for the body’s release but opposes an autopsy on personal, cultural and traditional grounds, insisting only on a dignified burial.

(NAN)