A 34-year-old woman, Tope Ayanwale, collapsed in court shortly after being sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State, over drug-related offences.
The incident occurred on Tuesday moments after Justice B. Quadiri delivered the judgment, which included an option of a ₦10 million fine. Ayanwale, who was standing trial under Charge No. FHC/B/21c/2026, reportedly slumped immediately after the sentence was pronounced. She was quickly attended to and stabilised before being taken into custody to begin serving her sentence.
The court found her guilty of unlawful possession of 1.272 kilograms of cannabis sativa, 2.1 grams of methamphetamine, and 176 grams of tramadol.
In a related ruling, two other individuals — Etinosa Bazuaye, 43, and Godfrey Osabuohien, 34 — were each sentenced to 15 years in prison on March 25 for separate drug offences. Bazuaye, convicted for possessing 13 grams of cocaine, was given an option of a ₦6 million fine, while Osabuohien, found guilty of possessing 15 kilograms of cannabis, received an option of a ₦3 million fine.
The convictions were secured by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Federal High Court in Benin City.
Delivering his remarks, Justice Quadiri warned about the dangers of drug trafficking, linking it to violent crimes such as armed robbery and banditry. He stressed the importance of imposing strict penalties to deter offenders and protect society.
Reacting to the judgment, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, praised the court for what he described as a firm and decisive ruling. He said the convictions reflect the agency’s intensified crackdown under its Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, aimed at dismantling drug networks across the country.
“The conviction of Tope Ayanwale sends a clear message that Edo State is hostile territory for drug traffickers,” Ofoyeju said, urging the public to support the agency with credible information.
He added that the NDLEA remains committed to combating drug-related crimes, noting that several convictions have been secured and cannabis farms destroyed across the state in recent months.
