NDLEA arrests ex-International footballer and business partner over cocaine smuggling

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended an ex-international football player, Segun Hunkarin, and his businessman partner, Ntoruka Chinedu, over an alleged attempt to smuggle cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

In a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, it said a search of his carry-on bag revealed 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grams concealed therein.

According to the NDLEA, Chinedu was arrested on June 24, 2025, upon his arrival at the Lagos airport from Turkey, with a transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A search of his carry-on bag revealed 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grams.

”Investigation showed that Hunkarin, who was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark, was to collect the consignment from him, ” the statement added.

Hunkarin claimed that while playing professional football in Brazil, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but had never brought any to Nigeria.

It explained that he was intercepted at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on a Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

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

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

It said that a search of his luggage led to the discovery of cardboard-sized 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 an 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.

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