More than two months after Mary Habila died at the Uburu residence associated with Works Minister David Umahi, police now say the autopsy is complete and the report is ready. Yet the cause of death has not been formally stated. That unresolved gap now sits at the centre of a case already marked by conflicting accounts, legal action and weeks of scrutiny.
Mary was found unresponsive on June 27, 2026, at the Uburu compound in Ebonyi State and was later confirmed dead. Police opened an investigation and said a post-mortem examination was necessary to scientifically determine the cause of death. Channels Television reported that police considered the autopsy central to establishing what happened.
How the Autopsy Dispute Changed
Newspot Nigeria previously reported on the disagreement over the autopsy after Mary’s family initially opposed the procedure and sought the release of her body for burial. Umahi, on the other hand, publicly requested a forensic examination, while police maintained that an autopsy was necessary because of the circumstances surrounding her death. Mary’s father also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over the handling of the case.
The family later changed its position after seeking the transfer of the investigation to Force Headquarters in Abuja. Published correspondence showed that the family subsequently agreed to an autopsy under that arrangement. That cleared the way for the examination to proceed and resolved one of the earliest points of dispute.
Mary was eventually buried in Nok, Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on August 21. Premium Times reported on the burial and the controversy that had surrounded the proposed autopsy. Around the time of the burial, some reports still suggested she had been laid to rest without a post-mortem examination.
That account was later overtaken by a direct police confirmation that an autopsy had in fact been conducted. The focus therefore shifted from whether the procedure took place to what conclusion was reached. That later confirmation is now one of the most important developments in the case.
Police Confirm Report Is Ready
Force Public Relations Officer CSP Anietie Iniedu told Daily Trust that the autopsy report had been completed. He did not disclose its contents and reportedly directed inquiries about the findings to the Freedom of Information process. Trust Radio, the broadcast arm of Daily Trust, reported the police confirmation.
When Newspot Nigeria revisited the case on August 21, nearly two months had passed without a clear account of where the investigation stood. The existence of an autopsy report is an important development since then. What remains outstanding is a formal police conclusion on the cause of death.
