Drug Trafficking: NDLEA nabs ex-International footballer, 4 others for cocaine, meth at Lagos Airport

*The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency discloses its operatives nabbed Segun George Hunkarin, an ex-international football player along Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, his ‘business partner’, as well as a 72-year-old grandma, Beninese, and other illicit drug suspects during the agency’s recent raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos states

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

In its continued offensives to rid the West African country of drug trafficking and substance abuse, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Segun George Hunkarin, an ex-international footballer, along with his businessman partner, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, for attempting to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into the country via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), in Ikeja, Lagos.

The NDLEA disclosed the operatives first nabbed Chinedu, who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, upon his arrival at the Lagos Airport Tuesday, June 24 this year.

Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA

The anti-narcotics regulatory agency said that a search of his carry-on bag revealed 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800grams were concealed therein.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, who disclosed this Sunday, June 29, 2025, said investigation also confirmed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading for Nigeria.

The agency noted further checks indicated that an accomplice, who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him.

Hunkarin, who had lived for years in Brazil playing for football clubs, was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark, the NDLEA stated.

In his statement after arrest, Hunkarin claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia, but has never brought any to Nigeria.

The agency further said its operatives as well arrested Amen Okoro Godstime, another Europe-based businessman Friday, June 27 at the Lagos airport, while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.

The operatives intercepted Godtime in the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Lagos Airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

The statement indicated that Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would to a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.

At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, NDLEA operatives Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor Emmanuel.

A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilograms and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.050 kilograms.

The 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.

Another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Follygan Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives.

When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage.

According to NDLEA, the substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250kg. The suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased the substance while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos on Tuesday 24th June intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5kg, from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Bolanle Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested on Wednesday 25th June when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.

A 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was Tuesday, June 24 arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state. Several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size were recovered from her, the agency noted.

The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of Yakubawa Model Primary School, Zango, Katsina; Police Secondary School, Igboora, Oyo; Divine Favour International Group of Schools, Bende LGA, Abia; Command Day Secondary School, Ojoo, Ibadan; Mater Dei College, Udi, Enugu; Community Girls Secondary School, Yenagoa, Bayelsa; and Fiyinfolu High School, Ikole Ekiti, among others.

Commending the Officers and Men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme Commands of the agency for the latest arrests and seizures, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NDLEA, applauded their counterparts in all the NDLEA Commands across Nigeria for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

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