Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced fugitive drug kingpin, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, and former international footballer, Segun George Hunkarin, to a combined 24 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully importing 7.050 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria.
Chinedu was first arraigned in September 2015 on a one-count charge, marked FHC/L/227C/2015, for unlawfully importing 6.250 kilogrammes of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail but absconded midway through his trial, remaining at large for nearly 10 years.
He was eventually re-arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on June 24, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to smuggle 800 grammes of cocaine into the country aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.
Investigations revealed that Chinedu, a frequent traveller who transported clothing from Turkey to Nigeria and food items from Nigeria to Turkey, had travelled from Turkey and transited through Addis Ababa, where he collected the luggage containing the illicit drug before proceeding to Nigeria.
Further investigations showed that an accomplice, Segun George Hunkarin, a former professional footballer, was waiting at the airport car park to receive the consignment.
Hunkarin, who had spent several years playing football in Brazil, was immediately tracked down and arrested.
In his statement, Hunkarin admitted that while playing professional football in Brazil, he had trafficked drugs on two occasions from Brazil to Ethiopia.
Both men were subsequently arraigned on a three-count charge, marked FHC/L/669C/2025, bordering on the unlawful importation of 800 grammes of cocaine.
Delivering judgment on Friday, July 24, 2026, Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for importing 6.250 kilogrammes of cocaine.
He was handed an additional two-year prison term, also without the option of a fine, for conspiring with Hunkarin to import 800 grammes of cocaine, bringing his total sentence to 22 years.
Hunkarin was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, bringing the combined jail terms to 24 years.
Reviewing the facts of the case, the NDLEA prosecutor, Adekunle Adebajo, reminded the court that Chinedu had earlier been arraigned before Justice Salihu Saidu (now retired) in 2015 on the same drug importation charge but jumped bail after being granted release.
Relying on several legal authorities, Adebajo urged the court to convict and sentence both defendants in line with the provisions of the NDLEA Act.
Counsel to the defendants, Chief Benson Ndakara, who represented Chinedu, and Chief Emefo Etudo, who appeared for Hunkarin, pleaded for leniency and urged the court to impose fines instead of custodial sentences.
The court, however, rejected the plea after reviewing the submissions, authorities cited and exhibits tendered, and sentenced both convicts to prison without the option of a fine.
Reacting to the judgment, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), commended the judiciary, describing the conviction as a reaffirmation of the courts’ commitment to ridding the country of drug trafficking and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice, regardless of how long they evade arrest.
Marwa also praised the NDLEA officers involved in the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the case, noting that Chinedu’s re-arrest after nearly a decade on the run demonstrated the agency’s patience, diligence and determination in tracking down fugitives.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working closely with the judiciary and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone involved in drug trafficking, irrespective of status or how long they attempt to evade justice, is brought to book.
- Bertram Nwannekanma
