By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s law enforcement agency has arrested a former footballer, Segun George Hunkarin, and his alleged accomplice, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, while attempting to smuggle a consignment of illicit drugs, mostly known as cocaine, through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
This was disclosed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a statement after their arrest.
According to the agency, Chinedu, a frequent flyer known for transporting clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport.
The statement, signed and released to Heritage Times HT by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said, “A search of his carry-on bag revealed 37 wraps of cocaine, weighing 800 grams, were concealed therein.
“Investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on an Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.
“Further checks revealed that an accomplice, who turned out to be the former professional footballer Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport car park to collect the consignment from him.
“Hunkarin, who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs, was promptly tracked and arrested at the car park.
“In his statement, Hunkarin claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but had never brought any to Nigeria.”
Ince in Trouble
Meanwhile, former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Ince has been charged with drink-driving.
The 57-year-old was arrested after a Range Rover crashed into a central reservation in Cheshire, northwest England, on Saturday.
Ince will appear before magistrates in Chester on Friday, having been bailed, Cheshire Police said in a statement.
