Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed allegations surrounding the death of a nurse, Mary Habila, at his residence in Ebonyi State, insisting there was no attempt to conceal the incident and that an autopsy would determine the cause of her death.

Umahi spoke on Sunday while inspecting ongoing construction along the Ebonyi section of the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Superhighway.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the minister said the deceased’s family forced open her room after becoming concerned about her welfare before alerting medical personnel.

He explained that doctors from the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH) immediately responded and rushed Habila to the hospital, where efforts to revive her proved unsuccessful.

“The family broke the girl’s door, called doctors from DUFUTH, who took her to hospital and did everything to revive her, but failed,” Umahi said.

He added that the incident was promptly reported to the police, dismissing claims that the circumstances surrounding the nurse’s death were shrouded in secrecy.

“The family reported the matter to the police, so where is the secrecy?” he asked.

Umahi disclosed that he had directed that an autopsy be conducted to establish the cause of death, noting that the procedure would be carried out with the consent of the deceased’s parents.

The minister also announced that he had instructed his lawyers to initiate legal action against individuals circulating what he described as false reports about the incident.

He described Habila as a committed staff member of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital.

Umahi further said the deceased’s parents, who are currently in Ebonyi State, would address journalists on the matter and would also institute legal proceedings against those allegedly spreading false information about their daughter’s death.