Shock and confusion gripped the Federal High Court in Benin City on Tuesday morning after 52-year-old Madam Titilayo Akindele collapsed and died during a court session, in what has been described as alleged negligence by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in attending to her medical needs during detention.
The court, normally a place of order and procedure, was thrown into chaos on Tuesday as family members of the deceased, lawyers, and the public scrambled in shock at the sudden incident.
Madam Titilayo Akindele was reportedly arrested on the third week of January 2026 by the Edo state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, with the help of her church member, identified as one IK, over the possession of Loud, a hard type of drug.
According to family members, she had complained of ill health throughout her detention and court arraignments, repeatedly requesting medical attention. The authorities turned a deaf ear.
They alleged that despite offering bail, the NDLEA refused to release her, and the repeated court appearances contributed to her collapse on Monday.
Her son Adeshola, said the NDLEA has been so rough to them despite a plea for her to be released for medical care.
” Several time we drew the attention of the prison authority to give us the go ahead to treat my mum but all to no avail as they keep on telling us that NDLEA declined such until she finally collapsed and died in the court room”
Lawyers and eyewitnesses at the court premises stated that the woman collapsed during the sitting and was allegedly abandoned by NDLEA officers, who refused to render medical assistance and reportedly tried to flee, leaving her body in the court premises
.
Personnel of the Edo State Police Command, NDLEA officers, and an ambulance from Edo Central Hospital later arrived to transport her body from the court.
