A dramatic decade-long manhunt has ended with a crushing courtroom defeat as a fugitive cocaine trafficker who fled justice for nearly 10 years and a former international footballer have been sentenced to a combined 24 years imprisonment for smuggling cocaine into Nigeria.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki, convicted Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu and ex-professional footballer Segun George Hunkarin after finding them guilty of conspiracy and unlawful importation of cocaine weighing a total of 7.050 kilograms.
The case has drawn widespread attention, not only because Chinedu successfully evaded authorities for almost a decade after jumping bail, but also because it exposed the alleged involvement of a former footballer in an international drug trafficking network.
Chinedu was first arraigned in 2015 over the importation of 6.250 kilograms of cocaine. However, after securing bail, he disappeared without a trace, frustrating efforts to bring him to justice.
His years on the run came to an abrupt end on June 24, 2025, when operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, while he allegedly attempted to smuggle another 800 grams of cocaine into the country aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.
Investigations revealed that although Chinedu had travelled from Turkey, he stopped over in Addis Ababa, where he allegedly collected the cocaine consignment before continuing his journey to Nigeria. Investigators also uncovered that he operated as a regular international trader, transporting clothing from Turkey to Nigeria and food items from Nigeria back to Turkey, a business authorities believe was used to conceal his illicit activities.
The operation did not end with Chinedu’s arrest.
Acting on intelligence gathered during the investigation, NDLEA operatives arrested Hunkarin in the airport car park, where he was allegedly waiting to receive the cocaine shipment.
During interrogation, the former footballer reportedly admitted that while playing professional football in Brazil, he had trafficked illicit drugs on two occasions from Brazil to Ethiopia, adding another layer to the prosecution’s case.
Both men were subsequently charged with conspiracy and unlawful importation of 800 grams of cocaine.
Delivering judgment on July 24, Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years imprisonment without the option of a fine for the 2015 cocaine importation case. The court imposed an additional two-year sentence for his role in the latest conspiracy, bringing his total jail term to 22 years.
Hunkarin was sentenced to two years imprisonment without the option of a fine after being convicted on the conspiracy charge.
During the trial, NDLEA prosecutor Adekunle Adebajo reminded the court that Chinedu had abused the privilege of bail by fleeing in 2015 and urged the judge to impose the full weight of the law. Defence lawyers pleaded for leniency and sought non-custodial sentences for both convicts, but the court rejected the request.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, hailed the verdict as a significant victory in Nigeria’s war against drug trafficking.
Marwa said Chinedu’s eventual capture after almost a decade on the run reflected the determination, resilience and professionalism of NDLEA operatives, stressing that the agency would continue to pursue drug traffickers relentlessly until they are brought before the law.
He reaffirmed the NDLEA’s resolve to deepen collaboration with the judiciary and other security agencies to dismantle drug trafficking networks and ensure that offenders face justice, no matter how long they evade arrest.
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