Footballer and fugitive drug trafficker sentenced 24 years

A fugitive drug trafficker and a former professional footballer have been sentenced to a combined 24 years in prison for their roles in importing over seven kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria. Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos delivered the judgment on July 24, 2026, convicting Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu and Segun George Hunkarin after a lengthy legal process.

Chinedu received a total sentence of 22 years, while Hunkarin was sentenced to two years, with no option for a fine. The convictions stem from two separate but connected incidents of drug importation totaling 7.050 kilograms.

The case against Chinedu began nearly a decade ago. He was first arraigned in September 2015 on a charge of unlawfully importing 6.250 kilograms of cocaine. After pleading not guilty and being granted bail, he absconded during trial and remained a fugitive for almost ten years. His freedom ended on June 24, 2025, when operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) rearrested him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. He was intercepted while allegedly attempting to smuggle an additional 800 grams of cocaine into the country aboard an Ethiopian...