The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has issued a seven-day deadline for Minister of Works Dave Umahi to vacate his office following the death of Mary Habila, a 26-year-old physiotherapist. The council has threatened to organize countrywide demonstrations if their demands remain unaddressed. In a statement released Wednesday by National President Isah Abubakar, the organization urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend Umahi immediately to facilitate an unbiased inquiry into the incident.
Reports suggest that Habila passed away at Umahi’s private property in Uburu, Ebonyi State, sparking widespread public anxiety. The NYCN has requested that the Nigeria Police Force interrogate the minister to ensure a transparent criminal probe. Furthermore, the group is pushing for an independent, internationally observed autopsy to clarify the cause of death, arguing that any investigation involving the minister’s influence would lack credibility.
Should the Federal Government fail to act within the week, the council plans to stage protests across locations including Abuja, Kaduna, and Ebonyi. The group emphasized that no one, regardless of their government position, should be exempt from standard police procedures during a homicide investigation. They explicitly rejected any autopsy process potentially managed or influenced by the minister’s office, insisting on complete transparency to determine if the victim suffered physical violence or forced substance ingestion.
