The family of late Mary Habila has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, over the continued retention of her body by the Ebonyi State Police Command, calling for its immediate release for burial and the transfer of the investigation into her death to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The petition, dated July 17, 2026, was submitted through the family’s legal representatives, K.A. Yusuf & Associates. It alleges that despite repeated applications, personal visits, and compliance with all necessary requirements, the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police has refused to approve the release of Habila’s remains.
Mary Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences who was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works, reportedly died on June 27, 2026. Her body has remained in a mortuary under police custody since then.
According to the family, the prolonged retention of her body has caused emotional, psychological, financial, and cultural hardship, preventing them from performing her customary and religious burial rites.
The petition argues that the continued detention of Habila’s body without lawful justification is arbitrary and inconsistent with the principles of justice, fairness, and respect for human dignity. It also requests that the police disclose the legal basis for retaining the body and provide a timeline for concluding the investigation.
In addition, the family urged the IGP to transfer the case from the Ebonyi State Police Command to the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, order the immediate release of the body for burial, and investigate any officer found to have acted unlawfully.
The petition follows an affidavit sworn on July 13 by Habila’s father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, before the High Court of Justice of Ebonyi State. In the affidavit, he stated that the family did not suspect foul play in her death, would not consent to an autopsy, and wished to discontinue further police investigation, describing the decision as voluntary.
Despite the family’s position, the Ebonyi State Police Command has insisted that the investigation will continue.
In a statement issued on July 15, Police Public Relations Officer SP Joshua Ukandu said the Commissioner of Police had transferred the matter to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation.
Police said Habila was brought dead to the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu, after she reportedly died in a room within the compound of the residence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
According to the command, detectives have visited the scene, obtained statements from relevant persons, and are planning to engage a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem examination.
While acknowledging the family’s refusal to consent to an autopsy, the police maintained that the examination remains necessary due to the sensitive nature of the case and the need to determine the exact cause of death.
