Ex-Footballer, Okafor Emmanuel Arrested By The NDLEA For Cocaine Trafficking

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested Okafor Emmanuel Junior who happens to be an ex-footballer at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

He was arrested on his arrival from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on board an Ethiopian airlines flight with 1.40kg crack cocaine concealed in his bags.

The 33-year-old indigene of Arochukwu Local Government, Abia State was arrested on Monday 26th September 2022 after anti-narcotic officers discovered he concealed the illicit substance in the handles of his bags and padded the top edges of same with the class A drug.

Diirector of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi said, “During preliminary interview, Okafor disclosed that he was an ex-footballer with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH Enugu FC, where he played for four seasons before leaving for Sri Lanka in 2014”.

“He  further stated that he moved to Brazil from Sri Lanka after playing for two seasons but could not advance his football career in Brazil due to lack of official documents”.

“Another  Brazilian returnee, Ibeh Chinedu Damian was arrested the same day upon his arrival at the Lagos airport from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Ethiopian airlines flight.

“Ibeh, who hails from Ahiazu, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, was found to have concealed 3.20kg black cocaine popularly known as ‘Lucci’ in false bottoms of his two bags”.

“In his statement, he said he was to be paid three million, one hundred thousand nairas (N3,100,000) on the successful delivery of the drug in Nigeria”.