A Nigerian woman, Oluranti Akinyemi, has died in the United Kingdom just hours after arriving in the country to attend her son’s graduation ceremony.
According to a fundraising appeal posted on JustGiving, Akinyemi travelled to the UK on February 11 but suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the night, less than 20 hours after her arrival.
“She was rushed to Luton and Dunstable Hospital. After three days on life support, she was declared clinically dead,” the appeal read.
A UK-based X user, @DHKRULLAH, who shared the fundraising link, stated that she suffered the cardiac arrest on February 12 and was confirmed dead on February 14, 2026.
The graduation she had travelled to witness was scheduled for February 18.
The family, who described the incident as sudden and devastating, launched a campaign on JustGiving to raise £20,000 to repatriate her remains to Nigeria and settle outstanding medical bills.
As of Wednesday, £2,087 had been raised from 97 donors.
“Help us bring our sister, mother, friend and beloved home,” wrote Adekunle Ogundana, who posted the appeal on behalf of the family.
The incident sparked reactions on social media, with users urging families to take precautionary health measures before elderly relatives travel abroad.
One user, @agu_i, advised travellers to stay hydrated, avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine, move around during long flights, and wear compression socks to aid circulation.
Another user, @iamSwagga22, called for better medical collaboration between health authorities and the aviation industry, while @The4thTobs recounted a similar case involving a woman who reportedly collapsed on arrival in the UK after travelling for childcare support.
