BENIN CITY, Nigeria — A somber atmosphere enveloped the Federal High Court in Benin City on Tuesday morning as a female defendant, who had been in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for three months, collapsed and died during her scheduled arraignment.
The deceased, identified as Mrs. Evelyn Peters, was brought to court to face charges related to the alleged possession of controlled substances. Witnesses described a harrowing scene as the proceeding came to a sudden, tragic halt before the charges could even be formally read.
According to court officials and legal counsel present during the session, Mrs. Peters appeared visibly frail as she was led into the courtroom by NDLEA officers.
The situation turned critical just as the court registrar called the case file, at which point Mrs. Peters slumped in the dock, prompting defense attorneys and court security to rush to her aid. Although they attempted to revive her and the presiding judge immediately adjourned the session to allow for emergency medical intervention, she remained unresponsive despite efforts to administer first aid on-site.
She was subsequently rushed to a nearby medical facility, where she was tragically pronounced dead on arrival. In the wake of the incident, the NDLEA's Edo State Command has maintained official silence, having yet to issue a formal statement regarding the specific cause of death or the medical history of the deceased during her period of incarceration.
The incident has sparked immediate concern regarding the welfare of detainees and the troubling length of pre-trial detention in the region.
Legal representatives for the deceased revealed that Mrs. Peters had been held in NDLEA custody for approximately 90 days without being granted bail or ever appearing before a magistrate.
Compounding these concerns, sources close to the family allege that her health had deteriorated significantly during her three-month stint in the detention facility, claiming that their repeated requests for external medical attention were either denied or ignored by authorities.
While the NDLEA had prepared a multi-count charge against her involving the distribution of illicit narcotics, the legal merits of that case will now likely be superseded by a formal coroner’s inquest into the tragic circumstances of her passing.
Human rights advocates in Edo State have called for a comprehensive investigation into the NDLEA’s detention protocols. "To have a citizen die in the hallowed chambers of justice after 90 days in state custody is a failure of the duty of care," stated a representative from a Benin-based civil society group.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Benin Branch has also indicated it will monitor the situation closely to ensure transparency in the autopsy report and to determine if any negligence occurred during her period of detention.
As of Tuesday evening, the court premises remained quiet, though the tragedy has left a lingering question over the speed of the judicial process and the conditions faced by those awaiting their day in court.