Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has broken his silence over the death of Miss Mary Habila, a staff member who died at a government guest house in Uburu, Ebonyi State, declaring that he suspects no foul play and dismissing attempts to link him to the incident as "politics taken too far."

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday during a briefing on newly approved infrastructure projects by President Bola Tinubu, Umahi described the late Habila as "like a daughter," revealing that she had lived and worked with him for about three years and had been battling recurring health challenges for which he personally financed her treatment.

The minister also disclosed that shortly before she was found dead, Habila had complained of a nosebleed during a telephone conversation with her boyfriend, maintaining that available facts did not suggest any criminal activity.

His remarks come amid intense public scrutiny and widespread speculation over the circumstances surrounding the death of the young nurse, whose body was discovered in one of the Ministry of Works' guest houses.

Umahi clarified that Habila was a registered nurse employed by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State, and not a physiotherapist as widely reported.

"My lawyers have spoken on my behalf, but I want to correct one important misinformation. The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She stayed with me for three years. She was a staff member of the Federal University of Health Sciences. She was a nurse, not a physiotherapist, and our families are very close," he said.

The minister revealed that the deceased had been receiving medical care at a Turkish Hospital, with the costs borne by him.

"She has her medical records at the Turkish Hospital. The last treatment was on April 5, and I paid ₦2.2 million. The records are there," Umahi stated.

Recounting what he described as Habila's final moments, Umahi said she was on a phone call with her boyfriend when she complained of bleeding from her nose.

According to him, the boyfriend advised her to seek medical attention and briefly ended the conversation after she insisted the bleeding had stopped. However, when he called back about three minutes later, she no longer responded.

Umahi further disclosed that Habila had informed her boyfriend that she intended to take a bath before communication ceased.

"She had locked her room. When they noticed something was wrong, they forced the door open and found her dead. The water tap was still running," he said.

The minister stressed that the guest house where the incident occurred was separate from his personal residence, arguing that it was unfair to hold him responsible simply because the facility belonged to the Ministry of Works.

"What baffles me in this country is that every unfortunate incident becomes an opportunity for politics. The guest house where she stayed is far from where I live. Does it mean that because somebody dies in the Ministry of Works, the minister must automatically be held responsible?" he queried.

He condemned what he described as efforts to politicise the death of the young nurse.

"People should be careful when they use the unfortunate death of a young girl to play politics. If we had any hand in her death, it would follow us and our families. But if we do not, those making false accusations should also be careful. Life is spiritual," Umahi warned.

Describing Habila as one of his most dedicated staff members, the minister said her death had left him heartbroken.

"It is very painful that she passed on. She was one of my best workers and will be very difficult to replace," he said.

Umahi disclosed that he had insisted on an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death and directed that the body should not be released for burial until the examination is conducted.

According to him, the process has been delayed because the deceased's family objected on cultural grounds.

"We have been appealing to the family to allow an autopsy. They said it is against their culture, but through our lawyers we have insisted that it must be done. I have directed that the corpse should not be released until the autopsy is carried out," he stated.

The minister also revealed that he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure a comprehensive and transparent probe while facilitating further engagement with the family.

He urged investigators to retrieve the call records between Habila and her boyfriend, insisting the conversations would provide crucial insight into the events leading to her death.

Umahi further claimed that the deceased had previously experienced similar episodes of nosebleeds during official assignments, including while accompanying him to Lagos.

According to him, the boyfriend had confirmed that Habila once called him from Lagos complaining of a nosebleed, but declined to inform Umahi because she did not want to inconvenience him.

Maintaining that investigations should continue until all questions are answered, the minister said he had seen nothing to suggest foul play.

"I suspect no foul play because another lady was sleeping in the same room. The room was locked from inside and had to be forced open before she was discovered. The water tap was still running because she was about to bathe," he said.

Umahi also criticised the circulation of photographs allegedly taken at the mortuary, accusing some police officers of leaking images that fueled misinformation and damaged the reputation of the deceased.

He vowed to institute legal action against individuals and media organisations accused of spreading false reports and cyberbullying the late nurse.

"I have directed my lawyers to pursue those involved in cyberbullying and spreading false information. We are going to test the law on this matter," he said.

The death of Mary Habila has attracted widespread public attention, with several groups demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her demise. Police investigations remain ongoing, while the much-awaited autopsy has yet to be conducted following objections by the deceased's family on cultural grounds.