Ex-Nigerian footballer arrested for alleged cocaine trafficking

Erstwhile Nigerian footballer, Okafor Emmanuel Junior, has been arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for alleged cocaine trafficking upon arrival from Brazil.

The Guardian Nigeria reported that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Okafor who arrived in Lagos with 1.40kg of crack cocaine concealed in his bags on October 2, 2022.

According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Okafor played for UNTH Enugu FC before departing Nigeria for Sri Lanka and later travelled to Brazil where he could not continue his career due to documentation issues.

During the 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 lack of official documents.

Babafemi also confirmed another Brazil returnee named Ibeh Chinedu was also arrested for concealing 3.20kg of black cocaine.

“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 of black cocaine popularly known as ‘Lucci’ in the false bottoms of his two bags.”

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