The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a former Nigerian international footballer, Segun George Hunkarin, and four others in connection with an attempt to smuggle 22.6 kilograms of cocaine and other narcotics into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Hunkarin and his associate, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, a businessman known for transporting clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and exporting food items in return, were intercepted during a sting operation earlier this week.

Chinedu was the first to be arrested upon arrival at MMIA on Tuesday. A thorough search of his carry-on luggage uncovered 37 wraps of cocaine, weighing 800 grams, concealed within. Preliminary investigations revealed that Chinedu had collected the illicit consignment during a transit stop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while en route from Turkey to Lagos aboard Ethiopian Airlines.

Further enquiries led to the arrest of Segun Hunkarin, who was waiting at the airport car park to receive the drugs. Hunkarin, who once played professional football in Brazil, confessed to previously trafficking drugs from Brazil to Ethiopia, although he claimed he had never brought narcotics into Nigeria.

Additional Arrests at MMIA and Across the Country
The agency also detained Amen Okoro Godstime, another Europe-based businessman, on Friday at MMIA’s Terminal 2. Godstime was attempting to smuggle 5,000 pills of tramadol (225mg) disguised as common malaria medication such as Lonart, Amatem, and Aluktem to Spain via Royal Air Maroc.

Meanwhile, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) in Enugu, operatives on Friday intercepted Ezenwaka Chibuzor Emmanuel, a 38-year-old bar attendant based in Maputo, Mozambique. He was found with 17 cardboard-sized parcels of methamphetamine (17.5kg) and three parcels of cocaine (3.05kg), concealed in bed sheets within his luggage. He had arrived via Ethiopian Airlines from Johannesburg, South Africa, transiting through Addis Ababa.

Also intercepted on the same flight was Azu Follygan Kpodar, a 54-year-old man travelling from São Paulo, Brazil. A search of his luggage revealed a liquid soap container labelled “YPE,” which contained 1.25kg of liquid cocaine. The substance was tested and confirmed at the NDLEA’s forensic and chemical laboratory in Enugu.

Arrests at Borders and Across States
At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, on Tuesday, NDLEA officers arrested Vode Jean-Luck, a 26-year-old Beninese national, who was caught trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk cannabis, weighing 29.5kg, into Nigeria.

In Kwara State, a notorious drug dealer identified as Mary Bolanle Oladele, popularly known as Iya Nafi, was apprehended during a raid in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area. Officers recovered quantities of skunk, tramadol, and flunitrazepam from her premises.

In Warri, Delta State, a 72-year-old grandmother, Mrs Christy Ejaro, was also arrested after officers discovered several sachets of skunk prepared for retail at her residence in the Niger CAT area.

NDLEA Chairman Commends Officers Nationwide
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, praised the various commands—MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme—for their efforts over the past week. He also acknowledged the dedication of officers across the country for maintaining a balanced approach between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction initiatives.