A 34-year-old female drug convict, Tope Ayanwale, on Tuesday collapsed in court shortly after she was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a N10m fine by a Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State.

Ayanwale was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice B. Quadiri on Charge No. FHC/B/21c/2026.

She reportedly slumped moments after the sentence was pronounced and was promptly attended to before being stabilised. She has since been 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 development, two other drug traffickers — Etinosa Bazuaye, 43, and Godfrey Osabuohien, 34 — were on March 25 sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment each.

Bazuaye, who was charged with unlawful possession of 13 grams of cocaine (Charge No. FHC/B/143c/2025), was given the option of a N6 million fine, while Osabuohien, prosecuted for possession of 15 kilograms of cannabis (Charge No. FHC/B/86c/2025), was handed an option of a N3m fine.

The convictions were secured by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Federal High Court in Benin City.

In his remarks, Justice Quadiri stressed the grave dangers posed by drug trafficking, noting its strong link to violent crimes such as armed robbery and banditry. He emphasised the need for stiff penalties to deter offenders and safeguard society.

Reacting, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, commended the judiciary for what he described as a firm and decisive judgment.

He said the convictions align with the agency’s renewed drive under its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), to dismantle drug networks and prosecute offenders.

“The conviction of Tope Ayanwale sends a clear message that Edo State is hostile territory for drug traffickers,” Ofoyeju said.

He added that the agency would sustain its offensive against drug-related crimes and urged members of the public to support its operations with credible information.

Ofoyeju also reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to ridding the state and the country of illicit drugs, noting that the command has recorded several convictions and destroyed hectares of cannabis farms across the state. (The PUNCH)