The Coalition of Middle Belt Youth Groups has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to temporarily step aside over the controversial death of 26-year-old Mary Habila, while demanding an independent forensic autopsy and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The coalition made the demands in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting held in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday.
The group said its position followed a review of publicly available information, including the legal advice issued by the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice, which recommended further investigation into the case.
“The circumstances surrounding the death of Mary Habila raise serious concerns that demand a thorough, transparent, independent, and impartial investigation,” the communiqué stated.
According to the coalition, the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions highlighted issues requiring further scrutiny, including reports that Habila was found “alone, lifeless, unclothed, with blood around her nose and mouth,” and that there was no evidence she suffered from any known medical condition before her sudden death.
“These are exceptional circumstances that justify an exhaustive forensic and criminal investigation,” the group said.
The coalition insisted that an independent forensic autopsy remained crucial to establishing the cause of Habila’s death.
“An autopsy is not an indictment of any individual; it is a scientific process aimed at establishing the cause of death and ensuring that justice is guided by evidence rather than speculation. Without an autopsy, public confidence in the investigation will remain severely undermined,” it said.
The group also addressed reports that Habila’s father had sworn an affidavit requesting that his daughter’s body be released for burial without an autopsy.
“If these reports are accurate, we respectfully submit that no individual, regardless of relationship to the deceased, has the authority to frustrate a lawful criminal investigation where the cause and circumstances of death remain unresolved. Justice belongs not only to the immediate family but also to society and the Nigerian state,” the communiqué read.
It further urged investigators to examine allegations that members of Habila’s family may have been pressured, while cautioning against treating such claims as established facts.
“If there is credible evidence that any person attempted to interfere with witnesses or obstruct justice, such allegations must themselves become the subject of a thorough investigation. If no such evidence exists, the authorities should state so clearly to dispel public speculation,” it stated.
The coalition stressed that it was not seeking anyone’s conviction outside the judicial process.
“We are demanding due process, transparency, accountability, and the truth. No Nigerian, irrespective of office, influence, or political status, should be above the law,” it said.
Calling for measures to safeguard the credibility of the investigation, the coalition urged President Tinubu to direct Umahi to step aside while investigations continue.
“Such a measure should not be construed as a declaration of guilt but as a demonstration of respect for the rule of law and the independence of investigative institutions,” it said.
The coalition argued that the matter had become “a national test of the commitment of our democracy to justice, equality before the law, and the accountability of public officials.”
Among its resolutions, the group demanded that an independent forensic autopsy be conducted without further delay, that the Nigeria Police and other relevant agencies continue investigations until “every material fact” surrounding Habila’s death is established, and that the final findings be made public.
It also called on all individuals connected to the events preceding Habila’s death to cooperate fully with investigators and urged authorities to independently investigate any credible allegations of interference with witnesses or the investigative process.
The coalition gave Umahi five days to voluntarily step aside.
“Should this reasonable demand remain unheeded after the expiration of the five-day period, the Coalition shall exercise its constitutional rights by mobilising citizens for peaceful, lawful, and non-violent demonstrations in the Federal Capital Territory, including at designated public locations associated with the Federal Ministry of Works, to demand justice for Mary Habila and to reaffirm the principle that no public official is above the law,” the communiqué stated.
The group also appealed to civil society organisations, religious leaders, professional bodies and Nigerians to support its call for accountability.
“We therefore urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act decisively and reassure Nigerians that the rule of law remains supreme and that every life, regardless of status, ethnicity, religion, or social standing, is equal before the law,” it added.
SaharaReporters had reported that Habila’s family on Thursday postponed her burial indefinitely after the Ebonyi State Police Command insisted on conducting an autopsy before releasing her body.
The police have maintained that the post-mortem examination is essential to determining the cause of Habila’s death, which occurred on June 27 at Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Legal advice issued by the Ebonyi State Director of Public Prosecutions also recommended a forensic post-mortem examination, noting that Habila was allegedly found lifeless in her apartment with blood stains around her nose and mouth and that an autopsy would be necessary to establish the cause of death.
Umahi has denied any wrongdoing and has publicly supported a comprehensive autopsy, urging the public to allow investigators to conclude their work. Police investigations into the case are ongoing.
