The Uburu Traditional Rulers Council in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has declared a total community shutdown for a traditional spiritual cleansing exercise, a development that has heightened public scrutiny as it comes barely weeks after the controversial death of Mary Habila at the Uburu residence of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi.
The council is headed by HRH Eze Lazarus N. Umahi, the elder brother of Senator David Umahi, who announced that Thursday, July 23, 2026, has been set aside for the traditional “Isu Arua” spiritual cleansing of Ndi Uburu.
In a public notice signed by Chief Nicholas Odi, Chief Media of the Uburu Traditional Rulers Council and President-General of Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community, the council said all preparations for the sacred exercise had been concluded.
To ensure strict observance of the rite, the council imposed a dawn-to-dusk curfew from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., directing that all commercial, social and public activities across the community be completely suspended.
The directive orders the closure of businesses, markets, shops, commercial operations, ceremonies, parties, social gatherings and every other public activity within Uburu throughout the duration of the curfew.
Residents, indigenes and visitors were urged to comply fully with the order, which the council described as a sacred tradition intended to bring spiritual cleansing, peace, renewal and protection of the community against vices.
However, the timing of the exercise has sparked widespread speculation, with several residents noting that such a publicly announced community-wide spiritual cleansing has not been witnessed in years. The declaration comes as public attention remains fixed on the unresolved circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death.
Habila died on June 27 under controversial circumstances at Senator Umahi’s residence in Uburu, triggering nationwide outrage and calls for an independent investigation.
Earlier reports alleged that her body was found naked before it was removed from the minister’s residence, a revelation that intensified public concern and fueled demands for accountability.
Senator Umahi later acknowledged that Habila died at his residence but insisted she was a physiotherapist seconded from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS) to the Federal Ministry of Works. He also urged her family to consent to a forensic autopsy to establish the exact cause of death.
Subsequent reports, however, claimed that Habila was in fact a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW), contradicting the minister’s earlier account and further deepening the controversy.
The case took another twist following allegations that efforts were made to transfer the police investigation from the Ebonyi State Police Command to Abuja and move Habila’s body to the Federal Capital Territory for forensic examination after public pressure mounted for an independent probe.
Meanwhile, Anita Baaki, a friend of the deceased who was present at the minister’s residence on the day of the incident, has consistently maintained that there was no foul play in Habila’s death.
The controversy has also engulfed the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences after internal management meeting minutes revealed that staff members were instructed not to release information relating to Habila’s death without official authorisation.
The meeting, presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jesse Uneke, emphasised the need to safeguard the university’s reputation and warned staff against making unauthorised disclosures capable of undermining the institution’s corporate image.
University management maintained that only designated officials were authorised to communicate on the matter, while assuring staff of its commitment to transparency.
With police investigations still ongoing, the decision by the Uburu Traditional Rulers Council—headed by the minister’s elder brother—to impose a community-wide shutdown for a spiritual cleansing has further intensified public interest, as many Nigerians continue to demand full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death.