In continuation of its relentless war against illicit narcotics across the country, the NDLEA has secured another major legal victory as Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos handed a combined 24-year prison sentence to fugitive drug kingpin Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu and former international footballer Hunkarin Segun George for smuggling 7.05 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.The landmark ruling brings a dramatic, decade-long international manhunt to a definitive close.
In a statement released on Monday, July 27, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that a fugitive drug kingpin, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, and a former international football player, Hunkarin Segun George, have been convicted and sentenced to a combined total of 24 years imprisonment by Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos for the unlawful importation of 7.050 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.
Chinedu was originally arraigned in September 2015 on a one-count charge (marked FHC/L/227c/2015) for unlawfully importing 6.250 kilograms of cocaine. Although he pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, he jumped bail midway through his trial and remained at large for nearly 10 years. His run finally ended on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, when National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives re-arrested him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, while he was attempting to smuggle an additional 800 grams of cocaine on an inbound Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa. Prior to his capture, he operated as a frequent flyer under the guise of trading clothing from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey.
Investigation revealed that Chinedu flew in from Turkey on an Ethiopian Airlines flight, transiting through Addis Ababa where he picked up the illicit consignment from an unidentified contact. Waiting in the airport carpark to retrieve the cocaine was his accomplice, Segun George Hunkarin—a former professional footballer who spent years playing for various clubs in Brazil.
Alert NDLEA operatives tracked Hunkarin to the parking lot and arrested him on the spot. In his confessional statement, the ex-athlete admitted to trafficking narcotics twice from Brazil to Ethiopia during his soccer career in South America.
The duo was subsequently arraigned on a three-count charge under file number FHC/L/669C/2025 for the unlawful importation of 800 grams of cocaine. Delivering his judgment on Friday, July 24, 2026, Justice Kakaki handed Chinedu a strict 20-year prison sentence without the option of a fine for his original 6.250-kilogram cocaine importation case from 2015.
The judge tacked on an additional two years, also without a fine option, for conspiring with Hunkarin to import the newer 800-gram haul, bringing Chinedu’s total jail time to 22 years. Hunkarin received a two-year sentence for his role in the conspiracy, bringing their combined jail terms to 24 years.
Reviewing the case history, NDLEA prosecuting counsel Barrister Adekunle Adebajo reminded the court that Chinedu had initially been arraigned before the now-retired Justice Salihu Sa’idu in 2015 for the same offence but vanished after securing bail. Citing a wealth of legal authorities, the prosecutor successfully argued for maximum sentencing under the statutory provisions of the NDLEA Act to ensure justice was fully served.
Defense attorneys Chief Benson Ndakara and Chief Emefo Etudo fiercely argued for leniency, begging the court to substitute prison time with financial penalties. Justice Kakaki flatly rejected the plea. Following a rigorous review of the evidence, legal precedents, and airtight exhibits, the judge slammed the prison doors shut, denying both convicts any option of a fine.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), while reacting to the landmark conviction, lauded the judiciary’s unyielding stance. He described the verdict as a powerful reaffirmation of the courts’ commitment to purging the country of narcotics syndicates, proving that the law always wins.
Marwa highly commended the elite NDLEA officers, investigators, and prosecutors who anchored the high-stakes operation. He noted that Chinedu’s dramatic re-arrest after nearly a decade on the run perfectly showcases the patience, thoroughness, and absolute doggedness of agency operatives in tracking down fugitives.
The NDLEA chief reinforced his agency’s unwavering resolve to collaborate with the judiciary and global law enforcement. The core message remains non-negotiable: anyone fueling drug trafficking, regardless of their social status or how long they run will be brought to book.
