The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to ensure that no drug trafficker escapes justice, irrespective of their status.
He reaffirmed this while reacting to the conviction and sentencing of fugitive drug kingpin, Ntoruka Chinedu, and former international football player, Hunkarin George.
In a statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi on Monday in Abuja, Marwa said that both convicts were sentenced to a combined total of 24 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Lagos.
He said the duos were convicted for the unlawful importation of 7.050 Kilo Grammes of cocaine into Nigeria.
He described the judgment as a reaffirmation of the judiciary’s commitment to ridding the country of drug trafficking and ensuring that perpetrators were brought to justice, no matter how long they evade the law.
Babafemi said that while Chinedu was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment without an option of fine, Hunkarin bagged a two-year jail term for conspiracy, bringing their combined prison terms to 24 years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chinedu was first arraigned in September 2015 on a one-count charge marked FHC/L/227C/2015 for unlawfully importing 6.250 Kilo Grammes of cocaine into the country.
NAN reports that he pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail, but absconded midway into trial and remained at large for nearly 10 years.
The fugitive drug kingpin was eventually rearrested by NDLEA operatives on June 24, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to smuggle 800 Grammes of cocaine on an inbound Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to Babafemi, investigations revealed that Chinedu, a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, had traveled from Turkey and transited through Addis Ababa.
“This is where he collected the luggage containing the illicit drug from another person before heading to Nigeria. Further checks showed that Hunkarin was waiting at the airport car park to receive the cocaine consignment from Chinedu.
“Hunkarin, who had spent years playing professional football for clubs in Brazil, admitted in his statement that he had trafficked illicit drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia during his football career in South America.
Both men were subsequently arraigned on a three-count charge marked FHC/L/669C/2025 for the unlawful importation of 800 Grammes of cocaine.”
Marwa commended the officers and men of the agency involved in the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the case.
He noted that Chinedu’s eventual rearrest after nearly a decade on the run demonstrated the doggedness, patience and thoroughness of NDLEA operatives in tracking down fugitives.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to working closely with the judiciary and other stakeholders to ensure that persons involved in drug trafficking, regardless of their status or how long they attempt to evade justice are brought to book.
(NAN)
