The Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) has said that the late Mary Habila, whose death at the residence of Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, sparked nationwide attention, was not a registered physiotherapist, contradicting earlier claims by the minister that she was serving in that capacity.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Public Relations Team, the society said a verification conducted through the relevant regulatory authorities showed that Habila’s name was not listed in the official database of registered physiotherapists in Nigeria.
The clarification follows claims made by Umahi in a statement released on Saturday through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze. The minister had stated that Habila and another woman, Anita Baski, were employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, who had been seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years.
However, the NSP said its findings did not support that claim.
According to the association, public officials have a responsibility to verify professional credentials before making public statements, especially when such claims involve regulated professions.
The society stressed that professional identity should be established through recognised regulatory processes and not through assumptions or unverified information.
It added that the integrity of regulated professions must be protected, noting that Nigerians deserve accurate information while professionals deserve to have their qualifications represented truthfully.
The NSP also extended condolences to Habila’s family, saying the controversy surrounding her professional status should not overshadow the tragedy of her death.
Habila died on June 27 under controversial circumstances at Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Her death has continued to generate public attention, with the police maintaining that a forensic autopsy is required to determine the exact cause of death before her body can be released for burial.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
