By Suzan Edeh
The Advocacy for the Empowerment of Nigerian Women and Children (AENWC) has urged the public to remain calm amid ongoing investigations into the tragic death of Mary Habila, warning against social media trials and premature demands for public officials to resign.
In a press statement released on Saturday in Kaduna, the group’s National Coordinator, Hajiya Salmat A. Abdullahi, described Habila’s death as a tragedy that demands an expedited, transparent, and professional investigation by law enforcement.
The AENWC explicitly rejected widespread public calls for the resignation of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi.
The civil society organization argued that demanding a serving minister’s exit before a formal probe concludes creates a dangerous precedent that threatens democratic governance and undermines the criminal justice system.
“No individual should be condemned solely on the basis of allegations circulating in the public space or on social media”.
“To demand the resignation of a serving minister before the conclusion of investigations establishes a dangerous precedent capable of undermining democratic governance and the administration of criminal justice.
“We therefore reject calls for the resignation of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi as the circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death remain under investigation by relevant law enforcement agencies”.
“Until the investigation is concluded, every attempt to assign blame to any individual is premature and unjustified” The statement read.
The organization commended Minister Umahi for his swift, transparent action in personally inviting the police to investigate the incident and noted that no official report from the Ministry of Works has indicated any wrongdoing or culpability on the minister’s part.
While calling for Independent, evidence-based police probe, the organization acknowledging citizens’ constitutional rights to free expression and peaceful assembly and cautioned that these rights must be exercised responsibly without disrupting public order or interfering with police work.
The group explicitly called on the Nigeria Police Force to take the necessary measures such as examining all available evidence with strict objectivity, Interviewing all relevant witnesses tied to the incident, complete critical forensic procedures according to legal standards and provide regular public updates to maintain transparency.
The AENWC expressed deep solidarity with the grieving family of Mary Habila, affirming that their quest for accountability is completely legitimate.
The statement concluded with a call to action for government institutions, youth groups, and the media to foster an atmosphere of calm.
The group emphasized that this tragedy highlights an urgent national need to reform workplace welfare systems, encourage prompt reporting of abuses, and strengthen institutions tasked with safeguarding vulnerable women and girls across Nigeria.
