Mary Habila: Atiku Faults Tinubu’s Silence, Seeks Independent Probe into Death At Umahi’s Residence

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over what he described as its silence on the death of 26-year-old Mary Habila, calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death at the private residence of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Thursday, Atiku expressed “deep sorrow and mounting concern” over the death of Habila, a native of Nok in Southern Kaduna, who reportedly died on June 27, 2026, at Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.

He extended condolences to the deceased’s family, saying no family should have to mourn a daughter “while also fighting simply to learn the truth of how she died.

“But condolences are not enough. Nigerians deserve answers, and it is on this score that the Tinubu administration has failed, comprehensively and disgracefully,” Atiku said.

The former vice president lamented what he described as the federal government’s failure to provide transparency in the handling of the case, noting that the incident only came to public attention after it was reported by Sahara Reporters.

According to him, no autopsy had been conducted three weeks after Habila’s death, no official cause of death had been established, and the investigation remained with the Ebonyi State Police Command despite the minister’s longstanding political influence in the state.

“And through all of this, silence from the Presidency. Silence from the Federal Executive Council. Silence from the Inspector-General of Police. Silence from the National Assembly. Not one word. Not one directive. Not one gesture to assure Nigerians that the life of Mary Habila matters to this government,” he said.

Atiku also criticised the minister’s continued role in managing public communication on the matter.

“Instead, the minister has been permitted to manage the narrative of a death that occurred under his own roof: issuing statements through his personal aides, deploying his private lawyers to correspond with the police, and continuing his official duties as though nothing has happened, while civil society groups, youth organisations, and the family’s own community cry out for an independent inquiry,” he stated.

While stressing that he was not accusing anyone of wrongdoing, Atiku maintained that only a credible and independent investigation could establish the truth.

“Let me be clear: I make no pronouncement on anyone’s guilt or innocence. That is precisely the point. Only a credible, independent, and transparent investigation can establish the truth, and it is the refusal of the federal government to guarantee such an investigation that constitutes the scandal before us,” he added.

He argued that government has an obligation to ensure transparency whenever a death involves a senior public official.

“A government’s first duty is the protection of life. Where a life is lost in circumstances touching a high official of state, the burden on government to act transparently is at its heaviest,” he said.

Questioning the administration’s response, Atiku added, “If the death of a young Nigerian woman in a Minister’s residence cannot stir this government to act, then Nigerians must ask: whose life, exactly, does this government value?”

The former vice president called on President Tinubu to direct Umahi to step aside pending the conclusion of investigations, describing the move as “the minimum standard of public accountability in any serious democracy.”

He also urged the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation from the Ebonyi State Police Command to Force Headquarters with the involvement of independent forensic experts.

“No investigation conducted in the shadow of the minister’s home-state influence can command public confidence,” he said.

Atiku further demanded “a full, independent, and internationally credible autopsy” with the findings made public, while calling on authorities to protect Habila’s family from “any pressure, inducement, or intimidation” and guarantee them unrestricted access to information relating to the case.

Concluding, he said the handling of the matter would test the country’s commitment to justice and accountability.

“The measure of a nation is how it responds when the powerful are touched by tragedy and the powerless demand truth. Mary Habila was somebody’s daughter, somebody’s sister, a young professional with her life ahead of her. She was a Nigerian. Her death must not be reduced to a footnote of political convenience.

“Nigeria will work again, but only when the life of every Nigerian counts, and when no one, however highly placed, stands beyond the reach of accountability.

“May the soul of Mary Habila rest in peace. May her family find justice.”