A 52-year-old suspected drug dealer, Titilayo Akindele, collapsed and died on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, during her trial at the Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State.
Akindele was facing charges brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over the possession and alleged sale of Loud, a hard illicit drug. The incident caused chaos in the courtroom as family members, lawyers, and members of the public reacted in shock.
According to her son, Samuel Akinsola, Akindele had repeatedly complained of ill health throughout her detention and court appearances, requesting medical attention, which he said was ignored. The family had petitioned the NDLEA for bail or medical consideration, but the requests were allegedly refused.
Eyewitnesses and lawyers at the court said Akindele collapsed while waiting for her case to be called. They accused NDLEA officials of failing to provide immediate medical assistance. Edo State Police officers and NDLEA personnel eventually brought an ambulance from Edo Central Hospital to evacuate her body to the mortuary.
NDLEA State Commander, Dr Mitchell Ofoyeju, described the incident as unfortunate but denied negligence by his officers. He stated that Akindele had walked to court on her own and was physically fit to stand trial. He also defended his team against claims that they abandoned her in the courtroom.
“When she collapsed, it attracted a crowd and there were other suspects. The officers had to secure other accused persons to avoid them mixing with the crowd to escape,” Ofoyeju said, offering condolences to the family and emphasizing that the agency’s mandate is to protect lives from illicit drugs.
