Nearly 10 Years on the Run: Fugitive Drug Kingpin, Ex-International Footballer Jailed 24 Years for Cocaine Importation

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced a suspected fugitive drug trafficker, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu and former international footballer Hunkarin Segun George to a combined 24 years in prison for offences relating to the unlawful importation of cocaine.

Justice Musa Kakaki handed down the sentences on Friday, July 24, 2026, following the prosecution of the two men by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The NDLEA said Chinedu was sentenced to a total of 22 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine, while Hunkarin received a two-year prison term on a conspiracy charge, bringing their combined sentence to 24 years.

The NDLEA's Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Monday.

According to the agency, the case against Chinedu dates back to 2015, when he was first arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on a one-count charge for allegedly importing 6.250 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.

The charge was marked FHC/L/227c/2015.

The NDLEA said Chinedu pleaded not guilty and was subsequently granted bail but allegedly absconded during the course of the trial and remained at large for nearly 10 years.

His time on the run, however, came to an end in June 2025 when NDLEA operatives re-arrested him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The agency said the arrest took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, as Chinedu allegedly attempted to smuggle 800 grams of cocaine into Nigeria on an inbound Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.

According to the NDLEA, Chinedu had travelled from Turkey and transited through Addis Ababa before arriving in Lagos. Investigators reportedly found that he had collected luggage from another individual during the journey before proceeding to Nigeria.

The agency said further investigation led operatives to an alleged accomplice, identified as Hunkarin Segun George, who was reportedly waiting for Chinedu at the airport car park.

Hunkarin, a former professional footballer who the NDLEA said had spent several years in Brazil playing for football clubs, was subsequently arrested at the airport.

The agency alleged that the former footballer was waiting to receive the cocaine consignment from Chinedu.

The NDLEA further said that Hunkarin, in a statement to investigators, claimed that he had trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia while playing professional football in the South American country.

Both men were subsequently arraigned on a three-count charge marked FHC/L/669C/2025 in connection with the alleged unlawful importation of 800 grams of cocaine.

The prosecution also continued with the earlier case against Chinedu over the alleged importation of 6.250 kilograms of cocaine.

At the conclusion of proceedings, Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine for the unlawful importation of the 6.250 kilograms of cocaine.

He was also sentenced to an additional two years, likewise without an option of fine, for conspiring with Hunkarin to unlawfully import 800 grams of cocaine.

The two sentences brought Chinedu's total prison term to 22 years.

Hunkarin, meanwhile, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment on the conspiracy charge.

The NDLEA said the prosecution, led by Adekunle Adebajo, reminded the court that Chinedu had previously been arraigned in 2015 before Justice Salihu Saudi, now retired, over the earlier cocaine importation charge but allegedly disappeared after being granted bail.

The prosecutor reportedly urged the court to impose appropriate sentences in line with the relevant provisions of the NDLEA Act, citing several legal authorities in support of the prosecution's case.

Defence lawyers Chief Benson Ndakara, who represented Chinedu, and Chief Emefo Etudo, who represented Hunkarin, pleaded with the court for leniency.

They also urged the court to consider imposing fines instead of custodial sentences.

Justice Kakaki, however, after considering the submissions of counsel, the authorities cited and the exhibits tendered before the court, sentenced both men to terms of imprisonment without an option of fine.

The NDLEA described the judgment as a significant development in its efforts to prosecute suspected drug traffickers, particularly those who attempt to evade justice for extended periods.

Reacting to the conviction, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the judiciary for what he described as a reaffirmation of the courts' commitment to combating drug trafficking in Nigeria.

Marwa also praised NDLEA officers involved in the investigation, arrest and prosecution of the case, particularly the eventual re-arrest of Chinedu after nearly a decade on the run.

According to him, the development demonstrated the agency's determination to track down suspects accused of involvement in drug trafficking, regardless of how long they attempt to evade arrest.

The NDLEA chairman reiterated the agency's commitment to working with the judiciary and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that persons found guilty of drug trafficking offences are brought to justice.

The conviction also highlights the lengthy legal process that can accompany major drug trafficking cases, with Chinedu's original case dating back to 2015 before his alleged disappearance and subsequent re-arrest nearly a decade later.

The NDLEA said the latest judgment underscores its resolve to pursue suspected drug traffickers through investigation and prosecution until the conclusion of their cases.