A 52-year-old woman, identified simply as Titilayo, has died shortly after being arraigned at the Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, just minutes after she appeared before the court.
Titilayo had reportedly been apprehended by the Edo State Task Force before being handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over allegations of selling a substance suspected to be an illicit drug.
According to accounts from individuals present in the courtroom, concerns were raised about her condition prior to the arraignment, with some witnesses alleging that she appeared unwell when she was brought in.
They also accused the NDLEA of contributing to her death.
However, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, dismissed claims of negligence by his officers, insisting there were no indications that the deceased was unfit to stand trial.
Ofoyeju said, “It is not true what they are saying. She was arraigned in court. There was no issue that she was not physically fit.
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She personally walked to the car, got to the court and came down herself. What happened is not something you can start trading blame over.
“She was arrested by the Edo State Task Force and transferred to the NDLEA. She was arrested for selling ‘Loud’, a slang term for high-quality, pungent-smelling cannabis.
“What happened was a case of mistaken identity. When she collapsed, it attracted a crowd and there were other suspects.
The officers had to secure other accused persons to prevent them from dispersing with the crowd. The crowd thought my men were running away. My men were not attacked.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, Ofoyeju also condoled with the family.
“Our desire is for any drug suspect or accused person to be well, healthy and complete their trials.
“Honestly, we have no idea what killed her unless an autopsy is conducted. She walked into the courtroom by herself,” he added.