NEWS
Uburu Declares Spiritual Cleansing, Imposes Dawn-to-Dusk Curfew After Mary Habila’s Death
The Uburu Traditional Rulers Council in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has declared a community-wide spiritual cleansing exercise and announced a dawn-to-dusk curfew, weeks after the controversial death of Mary Habila at the residence of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi.
The directive was contained in a public notice dated July 21, 2026, and signed by the Chief Media Officer of the Uburu Traditional Rulers Council and President General of Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community, Chief Nicholas Odi, on behalf of the council led by HRH Eze Lazarus N. Umahi.
According to the notice, Thursday, July 23, 2026, has been set aside for the traditional Isu Arua of Ndi Uburu, a revered spiritual exercise aimed at cleansing the community. The council stated that all preparations for the event had been concluded.
To ensure the successful conduct of the exercise, a community-wide curfew will be enforced from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.
The traditional rulers further directed that all businesses, markets, shops, commercial activities, social gatherings, parties, ceremonies and other public events within Uburu must remain suspended throughout the duration of the curfew.
Residents, indigenes, visitors and members of the general public were urged to fully comply with the directive, which the council described as a demonstration of respect for the community’s sacred customs and an important step toward spiritual cleansing, peace and renewal.
The announcement comes amid heightened public interest following the death of Mary Habila at Senator David Umahi’s residence in Uburu, an incident that has generated widespread attention and is currently under investigation by the police.
Senator Umahi has confirmed that Habila died at his residence, explaining that she was a physiotherapist seconded from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS) to the Federal Ministry of Works.
The traditional council’s decision to carry out the spiritual cleansing reflects the community’s commitment to its age-old customs as residents await the outcome of the ongoing police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.