NDLEA Arrests Former Nigerian Footballer, Business Partner For Attempting to Smuggle Drugs
- Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two persons for attempting to smuggle drugs
- NDLEA officers arrested a former international football player, Segun George Hunkarin, and his businessman partner, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu
- The spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, narrated how the two suspects were arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Ikeja, Lagos state - A former international football player, Segun George Hunkarin, and his businessman partner, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, have been arrested over an attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) first arrested Ntoruka upon his arrival at the Lagos airport on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Source: Twitter
The NDLEA officers searched his carry-on bag and discovered 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800grams were concealed therein.
This was contained in a statement issued by the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, June 29, 2025, via the agency’s X handle @ndlea_nigeria.
According to Babafemi, Ntoruka is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey.
Babafemi said the Investigation showed that Ntoruka was coming from Turkey but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.
The NDLEA spokesperson said the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was tracked and arrested at the car park while waiting to collect the consignment from Ntoruka.
According to Babafemi, Hunkarin had stayed for years in Brazil playing for football clubs.
Hunkarin confessed that he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia while playing professional football in the South American country.
He, however, said he had never trafficked drugs to Nigeria.
Photos trend as NDLEA busts British drug ring
Recall that the NDLEA intercepted a massive shipment of drugs and seized 6 million opioid pills and 332,000 bottles of codeine syrup, valued at N6.5 billion, in Lagos and Rivers ports.
The operation by the anti-narcotics agency led to the arrest of two British nationals, Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra and Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
In a statement by Babafemi, the men were attempting to smuggle 51.10 kg of Loud cannabis.
Read more stories on NDLEA and arrest:
- NDLEA Arrests Iran-bound Lady with Illicit Drugs in Private Part, British Ex-convict With Shipment
- NDLEA Uncovers Drugs in Chocolate Tins at Lagos Airport
- NDLEA Intercepts Illicit Drugs Hidden in Saudi-Bound Religious Books
NDLEA arrests Malaysian returnee for smuggling drugs
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the NDLEA operatives arrested a Malaysian returnee, Ndubuisi Udatu (aka Richard), for drug trafficking.
41-year-old Udatu was arrested with two giant music speakers used to conceal illicit drugs on Monday, April 7, 2025.
The suspect is an ex-convict who had been arrested, convicted, and jailed for drug trafficking offences while in Malaysia before returning to Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
