Umahi heads to court over nurse’s death at Ebonyi residence

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has announced plans to take legal action against individuals behind what he described as false and defamatory reports surrounding the death of a nurse allegedly linked to his residence in Ebonyi State.

Speaking on Sunday during an inspection of ongoing work on the Ebonyi section of the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Super Highway, Umahi said he had instructed his lawyers to prosecute those responsible for circulating the claims on social media.

The reports alleged that the death of nurse Mary Habila, who worked at the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), was shrouded in secrecy after it occurred within the minister’s compound.

Dismissing the allegations, Umahi said the deceased’s family became worried after she failed to respond, forced open her room and immediately sought medical help.

Umahi said doctors from DUFUTH rushed her to the hospital and made efforts to revive her, but she was confirmed dead.

He said the incident was promptly reported to the police, questioning claims that there had been any attempt to conceal the circumstances surrounding her death.

“The family reported the matter to the police, so where is the secrecy?” Umahi asked.

The minister disclosed that the deceased’s parents, who are currently in Ebonyi State, would address journalists and also pursue legal action against those spreading what he described as false information.

Umahi further revealed that he had ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death, stressing that the procedure would only be carried out with the approval of the nurse’s parents.

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Describing the late Habila as a dedicated healthcare professional, Umahi said she had served at DUFUTH for about three years and was among the medical personnel who routinely attended to him.

He condemned those using the incident to create online content, insisting that exploiting a person’s death for publicity was irresponsible and unacceptable.

The minister also dismissed reports linking him to an alleged kidnap suspect said to have been recruited into the Ebonyi State security outfit, Ebubeagu, during his tenure as governor.

He challenged those making the allegations to produce evidence connecting him to the suspect, maintaining that he could not personally know every individual recruited into the security outfit.

Reaffirming his stance against kidnapping, Umahi said the crime deserved severe punishment and insisted that the allegations against him were politically motivated attempts to tarnish his reputation.

He vowed to continue pursuing legal remedies against the spread of misinformation and defamatory content.