Tragedy struck at the Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday as a 52-year-old woman, identified simply as Titilayo, slumped and died moments after being arraigned.
The woman was said to have been initially arrested by the Edo State Task Force before being transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution over alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
Sources said she was accused of dealing in a substance believed to be a hard drug.
Some witnesses at the court alleged that the deceased showed signs of ill health before her appearance in court, accusing officials of the NDLEA of failing to take necessary precautions.
Reacting, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, refuted the claims, maintaining that the woman did not exhibit any condition that suggested she was unfit to stand trial.
He stated that the suspect arrived at the court premises and entered the courtroom without assistance.
Ofoyeju further disclosed that the woman had been arrested for allegedly selling “Loud,” a colloquial name for a strong variant of cannabis, and was subsequently handed over to the agency by the state task force.
He explained that a mild commotion followed her collapse as operatives focused on securing other suspects to prevent any possible escape amid the crowd that gathered at the scene.
“The misunderstanding arose when officers moved to maintain order and ensure other suspects remained in custody. Some onlookers misread the situation,” he said.
While describing the development as regrettable, the NDLEA commander sympathised with the family of the deceased, adding that only a post-mortem examination would determine the actual cause of death.
“Our responsibility is to ensure suspects are healthy enough to face trial.
The cause of her death can only be confirmed after an autopsy,” he said.
