Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has lashed out at President Bola Tinubu for being silent over the death of a woman, Mary Habila, in the residence of minister of works, David Umahi.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Abubakar called for an autopsy and probe into the circumstances that led to the death of the woman under the roof of Mr Umahi.

“I have followed with deep sorrow and mounting concern the reports surrounding the death of Miss Mary Habila, a 26-year-old Nigerian from Nok, Southern Kaduna, who died on June 27, 2026, within the private residence of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State,” Mr Abubakar said.

He added, “Three weeks after her death, no autopsy has been performed. No cause of death has been established. The investigation remains domiciled in the very state where the minister served two terms as governor and where his influence is beyond question.”

Berating Mr Tinubu, the former vice president said “And through all of this, silence from the Presidency. Silence from the Federal Executive Council. Silence from the Inspector-General of Police. Silence from the National Assembly. Not one word. Not one directive. Not one gesture to assure Nigerians that the life of Mary Habila matters to this government.

“President Tinubu’s administration has instead treated this tragedy as an inconvenience to be waited out.”

Mr Abubakar questioned the fact that Mr Umahi “has been permitted to manage the narrative of a death that occurred under his own roof: issuing statements through his personal aides, deploying his private lawyers to correspond with the police, and continuing his official duties as though nothing has happened, while civil society groups, youth organisations, and the family’s own community cry out for an independent inquiry.

“Only a credible, independent, and transparent investigation can establish the truth, and it is the refusal of the Federal Government to guarantee such an investigation that constitutes the scandal before us,” Mr Abubakar said.

The former vice president demanded Mr Umahi’s resignation and independent probe, adding that internationally credible autopsy must be conducted to unravel the cause of Ms Habila’s death and protection of her family from pressure.

“President Bola Tinubu must direct the Honourable Minister of Works to step aside immediately, pending the conclusion of investigations. This is not a punishment; it is the minimum standard of public accountability in any serious democracy. No official under this cloud should preside over a federal ministry as though it were business as usual,” Mr Abubakar said.

He added, “The Inspector-General of Police must immediately transfer the investigation from the Ebonyi State Command to Force Headquarters, with the involvement of independent forensic experts. No investigation conducted in the shadow of the minister’s home-state influence can command public confidence.”

However, the Ebonyi State police command has engaged a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem on the corpse despite the deceased’s family disinterest in the autopsy.

Meanwhile, in a viral video seen on social media on Thursday, Mr Umahi, who admitted that Ms Habila died under his roof, rained curses on Nigerians seeking to know the circumstances surrounding the lady’s death.

Mr Umahi said, “She (Ms Habila) lived in the same compound with other workers at the guest house in Asokoro, where I stay. Somebody for whom hell is reserved is giving the impression as if wrong girls were transported to our residence. That’s the impression.

“That lady was a worker of Federal Teaching University Hospital, Uburu. She was seconded to the ministry. It’s unfortunate that she passed on.”

The minister threatened legal war against those circulating reports that Ms Habila’s death was shrouded in secrecy, cursing that those spreading the reports would die worse death.

“The lawyers have been briefed and they will take on the evil people that say they are fighting for the freedom of the country. If you intentionally did it, the death of the young lady will be far better than yours. Because everybody is called at the time of God,” Mr Umahi said.

He added, “When you use the death of people to create content and deceive people, it means your time is up. I ordered that there must be an autopsy. The family reported to the hospital and police, so where is the secrecy that evil people were reporting? Where is the secrecy, if not that people are evil and evil shall follow them?”