Drug trafficking continues to threaten Nigeria’s security, and the conviction of 10 Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, marks a decisive victory for law enforcement. Barely four months after their arrest at Lagos’ Apapa seaport for attempting to import 20 kilograms of cocaine from Santos, Brazil, the crew and vessel were fined Six Million US Dollars and an additional One Million One Hundred Thousand Naira by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
The seizure occurred on November 16, 2025, when officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) discovered the cocaine hidden within the ship’s cargo. Following the arrest, NDLEA prosecutors, led by Director of Prosecution and Legal Services Theresa Asuquo, filed a four-count criminal charge under suit number FHC/L/1232C/25 at Federal High Court 2, Lagos.
The accused sailors, including Eugene Quinos Corpuz, Mark Joseph Jardiniano, Alexis Navidad Evarrola, Francis Gerard Niones Carpio, Franz Jude Mayran, Mahinay Junniel Lagura, Mario Ganiban Malvar, Hormachuelos Lordito Guivencan, Joshua Emmanuel Hufanda, and Edwin Baltazar Reyes, entered a guilty plea and agreed to a plea bargain.
On March 18, 2026, Justice Ayokunle Faji delivered the judgment. The court found MV Nord Bosporus guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act. The vessel was ordered to pay N100,000 in penalty and restitution of Five Million Three Hundred Fifty Thousand US Dollars. The three principal officers, identified as the second, third, and fourth defendants, were each fined N100,000 and required to pay $100,000 restitution. The remaining sailors were convicted to pay N100,000 each and $50,000 restitution. The total fine and restitution for the vessel and crew reached $6 million and N1.1 million.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) described the ruling as a landmark for the rule of law. He emphasized that Nigeria’s territorial waters are no longer safe for international drug cartels. Marwa explained that the case sends a clear message to shipping lines, vessel owners, and sailors worldwide that turning ships into floating drug warehouses will result in both imprisonment and financial penalties.
The chairman highlighted the vigilance of officers at the Apapa Strategic Command who uncovered the hidden cocaine within a massive commodity shipment. He linked this case to prior convictions, such as that of MV Chayanee Naree, demonstrating that NDLEA’s strategy of consecutive enforcement actions is yielding concrete results.
Marwa also praised the partnership between NDLEA prosecutors and the judiciary, noting that the accelerated trial process strengthens the country’s ability to dismantle drug supply chains. He concluded that the fight against drug trafficking is not merely a law enforcement challenge but a defense of Nigeria’s youth and national security. The agency’s intelligence, technology, and operational readiness are now sharper and more coordinated, sending a warning to every syndicate attempting to exploit Nigeria’s ports.
This conviction highlights the increasing financial and operational pressure being placed on drug networks, reinforcing that law enforcement is now targeting not only illegal substances but also the assets that sustain trafficking operations.
