A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, imposing fines totalling $6 million and ₦1.1 million for importing 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.
The foreigners were convicted following their arraignment by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a four-count charge, after they were arrested at the Apapa seaport on November 16, 2025.
The defendants are 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.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges and entered a plea bargain agreement.
In his judgement on Wednesday, Justice Ayokunle Faji found the vessel guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act. The court ordered MV Nord Bosporus to pay a ₦100,000 penalty and $5.35 million in restitution to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The three principal officers, listed as the second, third, and fourth defendants, were each fined ₦100,000 and ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
The remaining crew members, defendants five through eleven, were each fined ₦100,000 and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution. In total, the penalties amount to $6 million and ₦1.1 million.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the conviction as “a resounding victory for the rule of law and a testament to the renewed vigour of the NDLEA in its fight against illicit drugs.”
He added that the $6 million penalty sends a strong warning to international drug cartels and their local collaborators that Nigeria’s waters are no longer safe for narcotics trafficking.
Marwa further warned that any shipping line or vessel used for drug trafficking risks losing both assets and freedom, stressing that the agency has moved beyond seizures to targeting the financial networks of criminal syndicates.
He commended the Apapa Strategic Command of the NDLEA for its vigilance in uncovering the concealed cocaine, noting that the success—following similar convictions, including that of MV Chayanee Naree—demonstrates the effectiveness of the agency’s enforcement strategy.
The NDLEA boss also praised the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services and the judiciary for the expedited handling of the case, describing the collaboration as a major deterrent to drug traffickers.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s youth and strengthening national security, adding that its intelligence capabilities and enforcement strategies continue to improve.
