-
Federal High Court in Lagos convicts fugitive drug kingpin and former international footballer over separate cocaine importation offences linked to a 10-year investigation.
-
Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu receives a 22-year prison sentence after being re-arrested nearly a decade after jumping bail in a 2015 cocaine trafficking case.
-
Former professional footballer Hunkarin Segun George is sentenced to two years in prison for conspiring to import 800 grammes of cocaine into Nigeria.
-
NDLEA says the judgment underscores its determination to track down fugitives and dismantle international drug trafficking networks, regardless of how long they evade justice.
July 27, (THEWILL) — The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced a fugitive drug kingpin, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, and a former international footballer, Hunkarin George, to a combined 24 years imprisonment for their involvement in the unlawful importation of cocaine into Nigeria.
Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the judgment after convicting the duo for offences involving the importation of 7.050 kilogrammes of cocaine, comprising 6.250 kilogrammes linked to Chinedu’s earlier prosecution and an additional 800 grammes recovered during a fresh trafficking attempt that eventually led to his re-arrest.
The judgment marks the end of a case that spanned almost a decade after Chinedu absconded while standing trial on an earlier drug trafficking charge.
Court records showed that Chinedu was first arraigned before the Federal High Court in September 2015 on a one-count charge of unlawfully importing 6.250 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria.
He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail. However, he disappeared midway through the trial, frustrating prosecution efforts and remaining a fugitive for almost 10 years.
His luck ran out on June 24, 2025, when operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, shortly after he arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.
NDLEA officers recovered 800 grammes of cocaine from his luggage during routine checks.
Investigations revealed that although Chinedu had travelled from Turkey, he transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he allegedly collected the suitcase containing the illicit drug from another individual before continuing to Lagos.
The agency further discovered that Chinedu frequently travelled between Nigeria and Turkey, transporting clothing into Nigeria and exporting food items to Turkey, a business investigators said he allegedly used as a cover for his international movements.
Further intelligence gathered by the NDLEA led operatives to the airport car park, where George, a former professional footballer who reportedly spent years playing for clubs in Brazil, was allegedly waiting to receive the cocaine consignment.
He was immediately arrested.
According to the agency, Hunkarin admitted during interrogation that while pursuing his football career in Brazil, he had trafficked illicit drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia.
The two suspects were subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on a three-count charge marked FHC/L/669C/2025, bordering on conspiracy and unlawful importation of 800 grammes of cocaine.
During the proceedings, NDLEA prosecuting counsel, Barrister Adekunle Adebajo, reminded the court that Chinedu had previously been arraigned before Justice Salihu Saudi, who has since retired, before absconding after securing bail.
Adebajo urged the court to impose stiff custodial sentences in accordance with the provisions of the NDLEA Act, arguing that the offences were grave and supported by overwhelming evidence.
Counsel to Chinedu, Chief Benson Ndakara, and counsel to Hunkarin, Chief Emefo Etudo, pleaded for mercy, urging the court to temper justice with compassion by imposing fines instead of prison terms.
Justice Kakaki, however, rejected the plea after reviewing the evidence, exhibits, and legal authorities cited by both the prosecution and defence.
The judge sentenced Chinedu to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine for the unlawful importation of 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 the 800 grammes of cocaine, bringing his total sentence to 22 years.
Hunkarin was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for conspiracy, bringing the combined jail terms imposed on both convicts to 24 years.
No Drug Trafficker Will Escape Justice – Marwa
Reacting to the judgment, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the conviction as another significant milestone in the agency’s campaign against illicit drug trafficking.
Marwa commended the Federal High Court for what he called a firm demonstration of the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that drug traffickers are held accountable irrespective of their influence or how long they evade prosecution.
He also praised the NDLEA officers and investigators who handled the case, saying Chinedu’s eventual capture after nearly a decade on the run reflected the agency’s patience, professionalism, and determination to pursue fugitives until justice is served.
According to him, the conviction should serve as a strong warning to criminal networks that the agency will continue to work closely with the judiciary and other security institutions to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates and ensure offenders are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
