The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency -NDLEA has just apprehended an ex-footballer, Emmanuel Okafor, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, for suspected cocaine trafficking.
Femi Babafemi, The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, confirmed the development through a statement on Sunday in Abuja. He had said Okafor, the suspect was arrested on arrival from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa.
Babafemi had said that the suspect flew into the country on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Emmanuel had 1.4kg of cocaine hidden in the handles of his bags and on the top edges of the bags.
The spokesman had said in the statement:
“The 33-year-old indigene of Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State was nabbed on September 26 after anti-narcotic officers discovered where he concealed the illegal substance.”
“During the preliminary interview, Okafor stated that he was a footballer at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu FC, where he played for four seasons before he left for Sri Lanka in 2014.”
“Another Brazil returnee, Chinedu Ibeh, who hailed from Ahiazu in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo, was also apprehended on September 26 upon arrival at the Lagos airport from Sao Paulo, Brazil, also via Ethiopian Airlines. He had concealed 3.2kg of Black Cocaine popularly known as ‘Lucci’ in fake bottoms of his two bags.”
In a statement, he disclosed that he was to be paid N3.1 million if the planned delivery of the drug in Nigeria had been successful.