Fresh payroll records have confirmed that Mary Habila, who died at the residence of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, and her colleague, Anita Baaki, were employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Ebonyi State.

The documents, obtained and reviewed by Sahara Reporters, show that both women were listed on the university’s payroll and received their salaries through the Federal Government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The records emerged amid ongoing public scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death on June 27, 2026, at Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The payroll document supports earlier claims by university sources that Habila and Baaki were members of staff of DUFUHS despite being attached to the minister’s office.

According to the records, Mary Habila was listed as number 508 on the payroll with IPPIS number DU2500148, while Anita Baaki appeared as Baaki Anita Mlumun at number 474 with IPPIS number DU250044.

The document further showed that both women were among 549 staff members listed without National Housing Fund (NHF) account numbers.

Sources familiar with the matter said that Habila and Baaki were paid through the university payroll system.

“Umahi made sure they were both paid through the university and placed on the payroll,” one source told SaharaReporters.

The latest development adds to questions surrounding Habila’s employment status after conflicting claims emerged over her professional background.

Sahara Reporters had previously reported, based on information from multiple university sources, that Habila was employed as a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) and not a physiotherapist as claimed by a spokesperson for the minister.

The sources alleged that Habila was placed on the university payroll through the influence of Umahi.

“The lady in question was a CHEW by qualifications and not a physiotherapist. She was drafted into the university payroll by Umahi,” one source said.

Another source alleged that Habila did not have the qualifications required for employment as a physiotherapist.

The controversy over her professional identity followed a statement by Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant on Media to Umahi, who had described Habila and Baaki as physiotherapists employed by DUFUHS and seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works for three years.

“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baaki are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila,” the statement said.

However, the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) later disputed claims that Habila was a physiotherapist.

The professional association said it verified her name through relevant regulatory channels and found that she was not listed in its database of registered physiotherapists.

“Following verification through the appropriate regulatory channels, the name ‘Mary Habila,’ as stated, does not appear on the database of registered physiotherapists,” the NSP said.

Baaki, who was with Habila shortly before her death, later provided an account of the events surrounding the incident in an affidavit filed before the High Court of Ebonyi State.

In the affidavit sworn on July 15, 2026, at the High Court Registry in Abakaliki, Baaki stated that she had worked with Umahi since his tenure as governor of Ebonyi State before becoming a DUFUHS employee.

She also stated that she and Habila had worked with the minister for about three years and travelled with other members of his staff from Abuja to Ebonyi on June 24, days before Habila was found unconscious inside her locked room.

Habila’s death has remained under investigation, with the Ebonyi State Police Command insisting that a forensic autopsy is necessary before her remains can be released for burial.

The state Director of Public Prosecutions, J.U. Chukwu, advised that a post-mortem examination would help establish the cause of death, citing the circumstances under which Habila was found.

Habila’s family has opposed the autopsy and demanded the release of her remains for burial. Her father, Wisdom Habila, said the family was not accusing anyone but wanted his daughter’s body returned.

“I don't have much to talk about in this case. All that I want is the corpse of my daughter,” he said.

Umahi has denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he supported a forensic autopsy to determine the cause of Habila’s death.

Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death are ongoing.