Minister of Works Dave Umahi has responded to claims by the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) that the late Mary Habila was not a registered physiotherapist.
In a video shared by ARISE NEWS on its official X account on Friday, July 17, 2026, Umahi backed the NSP’s clarification, which stated that checks with the relevant regulatory bodies and its official database found no record of Habila as a licensed physiotherapist in Nigeria.
The minister said Habila was a nurse, not a physiotherapist, and had worked at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu.
Umahi also spoke about his personal relationship with the deceased, saying she lived with him for about three years and was regarded as a member of his family.
“Habila was like a daughter to me. She stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu. She was a nurse, not a physiotherapist, and her family and my family are like one,” he said.
The minister’s remarks add to the ongoing discussion about Habila’s professional background following the NSP’s clarification.
