Nearly a decade after jumping bail and disappearing, a fugitive drug kingpin has finally been brought to justice, with the Federal High Court in Lagos sentencing him to 22 years imprisonment for cocaine trafficking.
The convict, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, was sentenced alongside former international footballer Segun George Hunkarin, who received a two-year jail term for conspiring to import cocaine into Nigeria. Together, the duo will spend a combined 24 years behind bars.
In a statement issued by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Femi Babefemi , Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the judgment after finding both men guilty of offences related to the unlawful importation of 7.05 kilograms of cocaine.
The statement added that the convict Chinedu was first arraigned in September 2015 for importing 6.25 kilograms of cocaine but absconded after being granted bail, stalling his trial for almost 10 years.
However ,his luck ran out on June 24, 2025, when operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) rearrested him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while he was allegedly attempting to smuggle another 800 grams of cocaine into Nigeria aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.
According to the NDLEA, investigations revealed that Chinedu travelled from Turkey through Ethiopia, where he allegedly collected the cocaine consignment before heading to Nigeria.
The agency said the operation also led to the arrest of Hunkarin, a former professional footballer who had played for clubs in Brazil. He was apprehended at the airport car park while allegedly waiting to receive the drug consignment.
During interrogation, Hunkarin reportedly admitted that he had trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia while pursuing his football career.Both men were subsequently arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy and the unlawful importation of cocaine.
Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years imprisonment without the option of a fine for importing 6.25 kilograms of cocaine and an additional two years for conspiring with Hunkarin to import another 800 grams, bringing his total sentence to 22 years.
Hunkarin was sentenced to two years imprisonment for conspiracy, with no option of a fine.
Reacting to the judgment, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the conviction as a strong message that no drug trafficker can permanently evade justice.
Marwa commended the judiciary for the verdict and praised NDLEA officers for their persistence in tracking down Chinedu after nearly a decade on the run.
He said the case demonstrates the agency’s determination to ensure that those involved in drug trafficking are brought to justice, regardless of their status or how long they attempt to evade the law.