Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos has imposed a combined 24-year prison term on a professional footballer and a fugitive drug trafficker for the unlawful importation of banned substances into Nigeria. The judgment, delivered on Friday, July 24, 2026, carries no option of a fine for either convict.
Background of the Case
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed the sentencing in a statement on Monday, July 27, 2026, through its director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi. The convicts are Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, who had been a fugitive for nearly a decade, and Hunkarin Segun George, a professional footballer with a career spanning clubs in Brazil. Chinedu received 22 years behind bars, while George was sentenced to two years.
Chinedu's criminal history dates back to September 2015, when he was first arraigned before Justice Salihu Saudi on a single count of importing 6.250 kilograms of a banned substance. He pleaded not guilty, was granted bail, and subsequently disappeared during the trial. He remained at large for close to ten years.
How Chinedu Evaded Justice
On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, NDLEA operatives finally re-arrested Chinedu at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. He had arrived on an inbound Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa carrying 800 grams of banned substance. Investigators discovered that Chinedu was a frequent traveler between Turkey and Nigeria, regularly transporting clothing and foodstuffs. On his last journey, he had traveled from Turkey, stopped in Addis Ababa, where he collected a bag from an accomplice before continuing to Lagos.
While processing Chinedu's arrest, NDLEA officers established that an individual was waiting at the airport carpark to receive the drugs. That individual turned out to be Hunkarin Segun George, a professional footballer who had spent years playing for clubs in Brazil.
Role of the Footballer
George was tracked and arrested at the airport carpark before he could leave the premises. In his statement, George admitted to trafficking drugs on two occasions while in Brazil, transporting them from the South American country to Ethiopia. Both men were subsequently charged on a three-count charge marked FHC/L/669C/2025 for the unlawful importation of the 800 grams of banned substance seized at the airport.
Prosecuting counsel Barrister Adekunle Adebajo presented the full history of Chinedu's case, including his original 2015 arraignment and subsequent disappearance, citing relevant provisions of the NDLEA Act to urge the court to impose appropriate sentences. Defense counsel Benson Ndakara (representing Chinedu) and Chief Emefo Etudo (representing George) appealed for leniency, requesting that the court consider fines instead of prison terms. Justice Kakaki rejected those appeals after reviewing all submissions, cited authorities, and tendered exhibits.
Court Sentencing
Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years for the original 6.250-kilogram importation charge, plus an additional two years for conspiring with George to import the 800-gram consignment, bringing his total to 22 years. George, believed to be about 30 years old, received two years on the conspiracy count alone. The court emphasized that the sentences carry no option of a fine, reflecting the seriousness of the offenses.
The NDLEA has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug trade in Nigeria. In a related operation, the agency raided a Lagos hotel, intercepted international consignments concealed in food items, and apprehended a long-wanted drug kingpin, Okpara Chigozie, aged 60, who had evaded arrest since 2019.
