A 52-year-old woman identified as Titilayo Akindele collapsed and died on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State, shortly after being arraigned in a drug-related case.
Gatekeepers News reports that she had been arrested and handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by the Edo State Task Force over allegations of selling “Loud”, a slang term for a strong form of cannabis.
Witnesses in the courtroom said she appeared visibly unwell before she slumped, raising concerns about her health condition at the time of the proceedings. Some court observers blamed alleged negligence by law enforcement for not ensuring she was medically fit before her arraignment.
However, the NDLEA’s Edo State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, denied claims of negligence, stating there was nothing to indicate she was unfit to stand trial and that she walked into court without assistance.
The circumstances surrounding her death have sparked debate about detainee welfare and access to healthcare while in custody, especially during prosecution.
Authorities are yet to publicly disclose the official cause of her death, and further investigations are expected.
