ABUJA, Nigeria — A close colleague of the late Mary Habila has dismissed reports circulating on social media describing the deceased as a physiotherapist, clarifying that she was a nurse who had served under the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for several years.
Speaking in a video, Anita Baki, who identified herself as a physiotherapist and longtime colleague of Habila, said the late health worker’s death had left her devastated. “My name is Anita Baki, I am the colleague of Late Mary Habila,” she said.
Describing the loss as painful and unexpected, Baki said she was still struggling to come to terms with Habila’s death. “Her death is so unfortunate and sudden and so surprising that it is going viral and everywhere. I don’t have much to say because I am not in a good state of mind to speak more about her death. It’s a great loss to me, being a close person to her,” she said.
She also refuted claims that she and Habila had recently been brought from northern Nigeria to work under the Minister of Works, insisting they had both served in the minister’s office for several years. “We were not transported from the north. I have been working with her for a very long time now. We have been working under the minister,” Baki said.
Clarifying their professional roles, she stressed that Habila worked as a nurse, while she was the physiotherapist. “She is a nurse while I am the physiotherapist. The news has been spreading around that she is a physiotherapist. I am the physiotherapist here and not her,” she explained.
According to Baki, both women had worked under the Minister of Works for more than three years, while Habila was also attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu. She added that they lived together with other staff members in the official staff quarters before Habila’s death.
The clarification comes amid widespread public attention on the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death, which occurred on June 27, 2026, and is currently subject to a police probe. Various political figures and pressure groups had called for Umahi’s suspension or resignation to ensure an uncompromised investigation, while the family of the deceased has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to expedite the release of her body for funeral arrangements. The police investigation continues as the public awaits further details. For now, the clarification from her colleague provides important context regarding the professional background of the deceased, whose death has become a subject of national concern.
