Mary Habila’s Father Petitions IGP, Demands Transfer of Investigation and Release of Daughter’s Remains

Mary Habila’s Father Petitions IGP, Demands Transfer of Investigation and Release of Daughter’s Remains

The father of late Mary Habila has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over the continued custody of his daughter’s remains by the Ebonyi State Police Command, calling for the transfer of the investigation to the Force Headquarters and the immediate release of the body for burial.

In the petition dated July 17, 2026, Mr. Habila Wisdom Janko, through his lawyer, K.A. Yusuf of K.A. Yusuf & Associates, alleged that the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police has refused to approve the release of the deceased’s body despite the family’s compliance with all legal requirements.

The petition, which was acknowledged by the office of the Inspector-General on the same date, stated that Mary Habila, an employee of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, died on June 27, 2026, under circumstances that were reported to the police.

According to the petition, her body has remained in a designated mortuary on the directive of the Ebonyi State Police Command since her death.

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The family maintained that after fulfilling all procedures prescribed by law, it formally requested the release of the remains to enable burial arrangements, but the request has not been granted.

The petition argued that the prolonged retention of the body has subjected the family to emotional, psychological, financial and cultural distress while preventing them from carrying out customary and religious burial rites.

“It is our client’s respectful position that the continued detention of his daughter’s corpse without lawful justification is arbitrary, oppressive and inconsistent with the principles of justice, fairness and respect for human dignity,” the lawyer wrote.

The petitioner further stated that if the police consider the body essential to their investigation, the command should provide the legal basis for retaining it and communicate a clear timeline for the completion of its inquiries instead of holding the remains indefinitely.

Among the requests contained in the petition are the transfer of the case from the Ebonyi State Police Command to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the immediate release of Mary Habila’s body for burial, and disciplinary measures against any officer found to have acted outside the law.

The petition also called on the Inspector-General of Police to take any additional steps necessary to ensure justice is served in the matter.

Mary Habila’s death has continued to generate widespread public attention and debate across the country.

While the police have maintained that investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death are ongoing, authorities insist that an autopsy is necessary to determine the exact cause of death.

However, the family has continued to push for the release of her remains for burial and has now sought the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police.