A woman collapsed and died at the Federal High Court, Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday during her arraignment in court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to reports, she was brought to court on Tuesday, three months after her arrest, and having been in the custody of the agency for the three months without arraignment.
She was arrested on Ewosan street, Owidan quarters, Benin City, Edo State in January 2026, and held in custody since then.
She suddenly took ill while in custody, after she had persistently asked for medical care but was denied.
On Tuesday at the federal high court, Benin, while waiting for her turn in the charge line up, she was said to have suddenly collapsed and died.
The incident caused chaos in the court as many lawyers present berated the NDLEA over the manner the woman had been treated, leading to her death.
They decried the shabby manner in which most accused persons are treated by Nigeria’s security agencies.
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They lamented that accused persons are entitled to bail, or arraignment in court early enough to determine their guilt or otherwise of the alleged crime.
One of the lawyer, Douglas Ugbankwa said “this is very unacceptable. This should be a lesson, and it should change the way things are done at the NDLEA all over the country.
“They detain people for two months, three months, and when they bring them to court, some of them are almost gone.
“We need to sound a warning to Gen Buba Marwa that he needs to call his men to order”.
Son of the deceased, Samuel Akinsola who was in court at the time broke down in tears as he watched his mother pass away.
He said they had been begging the NDLEA since January to either grant his mother bail, or arraign her in court.
“They brought her to court today, and refused to bring the doctor’s report. She had been complaining since yesterday, that she does not have any strength.
They brought her to court yesterday. And the case was postponed to today. And they forced her into the bus and brought her to court today like that. That’s how she passed away today!”, he lamented in tears.
Operatives of the NDLEA condoned off the high court premises in the wake of the chaos, as an ambulance and health personnel were brought in to evacuate her remains.