A former international footballer, Segun George Hunkarin, and convicted drug trafficker Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu have been sentenced to a combined 24 years in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos after being found guilty of cocaine importation offences.

Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the judgment after convicting the pair over separate offences involving the unlawful importation of a total of 7.05 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.

Fugitive Rearrested Nearly a Decade After Jumping Bail

According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Chinedu was first arraigned in September 2015 on charges related to the importation of 6.25 kilograms of cocaine.

Although he pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, he absconded during the trial and remained on the run for almost 10 years.

His escape ended on June 24, 2025, when NDLEA operatives rearrested him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, while he allegedly attempted to smuggle another 800 grams of cocaine into Nigeria aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.

Investigators said Chinedu had travelled from Turkey before transiting through Ethiopia, where he allegedly collected a suitcase containing the illicit drugs before continuing his journey to Nigeria.

Former Footballer Arrested Waiting for Drug Consignment

NDLEA said further investigations led officers to Hunkarin, a former professional footballer who previously played for clubs in Brazil.

According to the agency, Hunkarin was arrested in the airport car park while allegedly waiting to receive the cocaine consignment from Chinedu.

The anti-narcotics agency also disclosed that Hunkarin admitted during interrogation that he had trafficked drugs on two occasions from Brazil to Ethiopia while pursuing his football career in South America.

The NDLEA stated that evidence gathered during the investigation established a link between the two men, leading to their prosecution on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and the unlawful importation of 800 grams of cocaine.

Court Hands Down Separate Prison Terms

Delivering judgment, Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for the 2015 cocaine importation case.

The court also imposed an additional two-year prison sentence on him for conspiring with Hunkarin to import the 800 grams of cocaine discovered during his 2025 arrest, bringing his total jail term to 22 years.

Hunkarin was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy, resulting in a combined prison term of 24 years for both convicts.

NDLEA Recounts Long-Running Investigation

During the trial, NDLEA prosecutor Adekunle Adebajo reminded the court that Chinedu had originally been arraigned before Justice Salihu Saudi in 2015 before absconding after being granted bail.

He urged the court to convict both defendants in line with the provisions of the NDLEA Act, arguing that the prosecution had established the offences beyond reasonable doubt.

The convictions mark the conclusion of a case that spanned nearly a decade and underscore the agency’s continued efforts to track down fugitives and prosecute individuals involved in international drug trafficking.