Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana has called on the Inspector-General of Police to take over investigations into the controversial deaths of Mary Habila and Babatunde Dolapo Tanimola, insisting that both cases require thorough, independent and transparent probes.
In a statement titled "These Deaths Must Not Be Swept Under the Carpet" issued on Monday, Falana said every suspicious death must be investigated in line with the constitutional protection of the right to life, warning against allowing unresolved cases to fade without accountability.
On the death of Habila, whose body was discovered on June 27 at the country home of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State, Falana said several questions remained unanswered despite the minister's denial of wrongdoing and his explanation that the deceased had an existing medical condition.
The senior lawyer expressed concern that the scene of the incident may have been compromised after Umahi reportedly handled Habila's mobile phone to contact her boyfriend. He also questioned the delay in conducting an autopsy despite the family's request for the release of the body for burial.
Falana urged the Inspector-General of Police to assume direct responsibility for the investigation and called on the Nigerian Medical Association to ensure that an autopsy is carried out without further delay.
He also demanded an independent investigation into the death of Babatunde Dolapo Tanimola, recently identified by the Presidency as a principal suspect in an alleged fake government agency scandal.
While acknowledging that police investigations concluded Tanimola died in a hotel fire in Abuja on Oct. 22, 2025, based on hospital and mortuary records, witness interviews and burial documentation, Falana argued that important questions surrounding the incident remain unresolved.
He specifically questioned the demolition of the hotel after public attention focused on the fire, saying the action may have undermined efforts to establish the true circumstances surrounding Tanimola's death.
Falana maintained that although the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is investigating the alleged fake agency, the probe does not cover Tanimola's death, insisting that the police should conduct a separate investigation.
The senior advocate also commended the Nigeria Police Force for investigating suspected politically motivated killings linked to the Aug. 15 Osun governorship election and urged the Osun State Attorney-General to ensure the prompt prosecution of all suspects.
He further reminded authorities that the Coroner Laws of Ebonyi State, Osun State and the Federal Capital Territory require inquests into sudden, violent, unnatural or suspicious deaths, urging the media and civil society to continue demanding accountability.
"These deaths must not be swept under the carpet," Falana said, stressing that justice requires full disclosure of the facts surrounding every suspicious loss of life.
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