A 52-year-old woman dies after NDLEA arraignment in Benin City, Edo State, sparking calls for investigation into alleged negligence by operatives

Pandemonium erupted at the Federal High Court in Benin City on Tuesday after a 52-year-old woman, identified as Titilayo, collapsed and died shortly after being arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Also read: NDLEA arrests 74-year-old with 11kg cocaine at Abuja airport

The deceased, who had been held in custody since January 2026, was accused of selling substances suspected to be hard drugs. She was initially arrested by the Edo State Task Force before being handed over to the NDLEA.

Relatives who gathered at the court expressed outrage, alleging that Titilayo had not received adequate medical care while in custody.

They claimed she had been ill prior to her arraignment and criticised operatives for leaving her body unattended in the courtroom following the collapse.

The Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, denied allegations of negligence, stating, “She was arraigned in court.

There was no issue that she was not physically fit. She personally walked to the car, got to the court, and came down herself. What happened is not something you can start trading blame.”

Ofoyeju added that the deceased had been arrested for selling Loud and suggested that the incident involved mistaken identity.

He said operatives focused on securing other accused persons amid the crowd, which may have created the impression that officers were abandoning the scene.

Also read: NDLEA Captures Notorious Drug Kingpin After 13 Years

The incident has intensified public anger, with calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of Titilayo’s death and the conduct of NDLEA operatives during the arraignment.