Drama in Court as 52-Year-Old Drug Suspect Collapses, Dies

A 52-year-old woman, suspected to be a hard drug dealer, reportedly slumped and died in court in Benin City, Edo State.

The suspect, simply identified as Titilayo, died while being arraigned for being in possession of narcotic drugs.

She slumped and died a few minutes after she was arraigned at the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Reports say the deceased was arrested by the Edo State Task Force and subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution.

She was said to have been arrested for selling substances suspected to be hard drugs.

It was gathered that the woman had been ill prior to her arraignment on Tuesday.

A source stated that the command had earlier contemplated releasing her before the incident.

Reacting to the tragic event, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, denied allegations of negligence on the part of his officers as the cause of her death.

He stated that there was nothing to suggest that the deceased was not physically fit to stand trial.

“It is not true what they are saying. She was arraigned in court. There was no indication that she was not physically fit. She personally walked to the vehicle, arrived at the court, and alighted by 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.’

“What happened next was a case of mistaken identity. When she collapsed, it attracted a crowd, and there were other suspects present. The officers had to secure the other accused persons to prevent them from escaping into the crowd. The crowd thought my men were running away, but they were not attacked.” he said.