Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, has criticised the Federal Government’s plan to engage 4,000 social media influencers to showcase infrastructure projects delivered under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Odinkalu, in a post on X on Thursday, said the proposed influencer network could instead be used to address questions surrounding the death of Mary Habila, a medical professional who reportedly died after accompanying Works Minister David Umahi to his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
“So, @realdaveumahi needs an army of 4,000 influencers to showcase the achievements of @OfficialAPCNg & @officialABAT?
“He may do better deploying the influencers to explain how the life of a promising young woman mysteriously ended on his private estate,” Odinkalu wrote.
DAILY POST recalls that Habila died on June 27, 2026, after she was reportedly brought to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu, where she was pronounced dead.
Umahi later requested that the police conduct a forensic autopsy to establish the cause of death, while Habila’s family opposed the post-mortem examination and sought the release of her remains for burial.
Odinkalu’s comment followed Umahi’s announcement that the Federal Government planned to engage 4,000 social media influencers to communicate its achievements directly to Nigerians, particularly young people ahead of the 2027 general election.
Umahi disclosed the plan on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a report from the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on its inspection of federal road projects in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and Sokoto.
“We have to fight this social media war. We have to launch 4,000 social media influencers to tell our stories,” he said.
The minister said Nigerians needed to hear about the gains recorded under Tinubu’s administration.
Deploy 4,000 influencers to explain Mary Habila’s death instead — Odinkalu to Umahi