Mary Habila was reportedly found dead in the residence of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi. Recent report has it that while police and foresic investigations is goinng and autopsy has not been conclude burial plans are already being initiated.
As Nigerians puzzle over the extremely loud silence of the otherwise clamorous propaganda michinery of the government, reports have also suggested that investigators are questioning aspects of the public explanation already offered by the Minister. If these reports are accurate, one question towers above every other: Why has the Nigerian Government then chosen silence? Where is the official outrage that should accompany the unexplained death of a citizen in the residence of a serving minister in the government of the nation.
In every democracy that takes human life seriously, such an incident would trigger immediate assurances of transparency, institutional independence, and accountability. Here, the silence is deafening. It sends a dangerous message that the political class may be insulated from the standards expected of ordinary Nigerians. David Umahi should immediately step aside as Minister of Works, not because he has been found guilty of any offence, but because the integrity of the investigation must be beyond question. No minister whose residence is the scene of an unexplained high crime like death should continue to occupy high office while investigators are still trying to establish the facts. Public confidence demands nothing less.
The contrast in law enforcement priorities is impossible to ignore. The state can mobilise extraordinary speed and determination when pursuing allegations of ordinary misdemeanor against citizen Sowore, or political offences against opposition. Yet where a Nigerian has lost her life under circumstances still being investigated, the same urgency appears absent from those entrusted with protecting the public interest.
This is not merely about one minister. It is about the moral compass of a government. What message does it send when allegations involving paperwork provoke swift official action, but the unexplained death of a citizen in the residence of a serving cabinet minister is met with official silence? The issue before Nigerians is larger than personalities. It is whether public office has become a sanctuary from scrutiny. It is whether political power now determines the intensity of criminal investigations. It is whether the poor and powerless are entitled to the same justice as the influential and connected.
Mary Habila’s life mattered. Her family deserves the truth. Nigerians deserve the truth. The investigation must proceed without fear, favour, intimidation, or political interference. Every forensic procedure must be completed, every witness heard, and every relevant fact made public. History teaches that nations do not collapse only because of corruption. They also decay when human life ceases to command the highest value in public affairs.
President Tinubu now faces a defining test. He can demonstrate that under his administration no public official is beyond scrutiny, or he can reinforce the growing perception that power is a shield against accountability. Nigeria cannot claim to be governed by the rule of law if justice hesitates whenever it approaches the gates of power.
Mary Habila deserves the truth. The Republic owes her nothing less.
Alex Ter Adum, PhD
SENATOR DAVE UMAHI AND THE DEATH OF MARY HABILA: MATTERS ARISING
Barrister Solomon Dalung on X
A young woman, Mary Habila, left her home alive. Today, she is dead. She didn’t die on a lonely highway or in a remote village. She died in the residence of a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Whether you like David Umahi or not is irrelevant. Whether you belong to APC, PDP, ADC , NDC or any other political party is also irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that a Nigerian died under circumstances that are still not clear.
The Minister has denied any wrongdoing and has said he wants a thorough investigation. That is his right. But Nigerians also have a right to ask questions. How did she die? What will the autopsy reveal? Who was with her before she died?
Will the investigation be transparent enough for the public to trust its outcome? These are not disrespectful questions. They are necessary ones. What worries me is how quickly we have become divided.
One group has already convicted the Minister without waiting for the investigation. Another group has already absolved him simply because of his position. Both extremes are dangerous. Justice should never depend on emotions or political loyalty. It should depend on facts.
If David Umahi has nothing to do with her death, then a transparent investigation should establish that beyond reasonable doubt. If anyone is responsible, regardless of status or office, the law should take its course. That is how serious nations work.
Mary Habila is no longer here to tell her own story. The least we owe her is to insist that the truth is not buried with her. No cover-up. No witch-hunt. Just the truth. Because tomorrow, it could be anyone’s daughter.
