Northern youths issue 7-day ultimatum for Minister of Works, Dave Umahi to resign over death of 26-year-old physiotherapist found in his home, threaten nationwide protest

• The Northern Youth Council gave Dave Umahi a seven-day ultimatum to resign over Mary Habila's death.

• The group also demanded the minister's suspension, police questioning and an independent autopsy.

• It threatened nationwide protests if the Federal Government fails to act within seven days.

• Umahi has supported an autopsy, while the Ebonyi State Police Command says investigations into the death are ongoing.

The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has given the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, a seven-day ultimatum to resign over the death of 26-year-old physiotherapist Mary Habila, warning that it will stage nationwide protests if its demands are not met.

The ultimatum was announced in a statement signed by the council's National President, Comrade Isah Abubakar, who said the minister should step aside to allow what the group described as an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Habila's death. 

According to the NYCN, Umahi should not remain in office while there are calls for a criminal investigation into the incident. The group also urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the minister immediately and called on the Nigeria Police Force to invite him for questioning. 

The council further demanded an independent autopsy, insisting it should be conducted transparently and free from any influence to determine the exact cause of Habila's death.

It said, "While we acknowledge the Minister's recent public statements demanding an autopsy, we reject any investigation conducted under his influence or within facilities tied to his administration. We demand an independent, internationally witnessed autopsy to scientifically determine the exact cause of Mary Habila's death."

The NYCN said it was "deeply alarmed, distressed and outraged" by the circumstances surrounding the death, citing reports that Habila died at Umahi's private residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.

The council also referred to allegations circulating online regarding the condition in which the deceased was allegedly found. However, these claims have not been independently verified by investigators, and no official cause of death has been announced. 

The group warned that if the Federal Government failed to suspend Umahi and initiate what it described as a credible investigation within seven days, it would mobilise protests across the country.

"If the Federal Government fails to suspend Senator Dave Umahi and initiate a credible, uncompromised prosecution process within the next seven days, the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, in active partnership with allied civil society organisations and youth structures across the federation, will mobilise and shut down major public spaces in continuous, nationwide protests," the statement said. 

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The ultimatum comes amid ongoing investigations into Habila's death.

Umahi has publicly called for an autopsy to determine the cause of death and has maintained that the investigation should proceed transparently. Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Police Command has launched a forensic investigation, with the case being handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department. No one has been charged in connection with the incident, and authorities have yet to announce the outcome of the investigation.