Relations of suspected drug traffickers detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, have alleged that the suspects were detained for months without trial or medical attention.

The allegation followed the death of a 52-year-old suspect identified as Titilayo Akinsola during arraignment at the Federal High Court, Benin City, after her arrest in her Ogida Quarters residence in January 2026.

The deceased’s son, Samuel Akinsola, alleged that his mother had been in detention for three months without arraignment nor medical attention.

He lamented that pleas to NDLEA officials in the last few weeks to either grant his mother bail or arraign her fell on deaf ears.

“They (NDLEA) brought her to court on Monday but she was very weak, so they postponed it till Tuesday. Meanwhile, the woman had been complaining that she did not have strength anymore. No medical attention was given to her before she died.”

Some lawyers, who witnessed the incident, said the woman’s appearance during the arraignment showed she was very weak, adding that even when she fell on the floor, the NDLEA officials did not allow quick medical interventions.

A lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa, said: “This is very unacceptable. Look at this woman that died. I think we should change the way things are done in NDLEA throughout the country. They detain suspects for two, three months without arraignment, and when taken to court, most of them (suspects) are already gone. We sound the warning to Maj-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (rtd) that he should call his men to order.

Another lawyer, Osa Uwadia, said: “We were all here when the suspect collapsed, and what they were supposed to do was to take her to the hospital for medical attention, but the officers refused.

When she came, I saw her there, she couldn’t even walk.”

But Edo Commander of NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, denied allegations of negligence on the part of his men as the cause of the death.

Ofoyeju said there was nothing to suggest the deceased was not physically fit to stand trial.

He said: “There was no issue that she was not physically fit \when she was arraigned. She personally walked to the car, got to the court and came down herself. What happened is not something you can start trading blame on.

“When she collapsed, it attracted a crowd and there were other suspects. The officers had to secure other accused persons to avoid their dispersion with the crowd." (The Guardian)