NDLEA Secures Conviction of 10 Filipino Sailors, Vessel Fined $6m Over 20kg Cocaine Trafficking
A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors alongside their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, for trafficking 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria, imposing a combined fine and restitution of $6 million and ₦1.1 million.
The conviction followed their arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on 16 November 2025 at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, where the illicit consignment was discovered concealed within cargo onboard the vessel. The ship had arrived from Santos, Brazil.
The NDLEA subsequently filed a four-count charge against the vessel and its crew in suit number FHC/L/1232C/25 at the Federal High Court 2, Lagos, through a prosecution team led by the Agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo.
The defendants, identified as 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 plea bargain and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court 2, Lagos, found MV Nord Bosporus guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act. The court imposed a penalty of ₦100,000 on the vessel and ordered restitution of $5.35 million to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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The court further convicted the crew members with differentiated financial penalties and restitution orders. The three principal officers (2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants) were each fined ₦100,000 and ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution. The remaining crew members (5th to 11th defendants) were each fined ₦100,000 and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution.
The cumulative financial sanctions bring the total payable amount to $6 million and ₦1.1 million in restitution and penalties.
Reacting to the judgment, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), described the conviction as a significant victory for law enforcement and a demonstration of the agency’s renewed enforcement posture against drug trafficking.
He stated that the ruling sends a strong deterrent message to international drug syndicates and their collaborators, warning that Nigeria’s territorial waters are no longer a safe corridor for illicit narcotics operations.
Marwa noted that the agency has moved beyond seizures to targeting the financial and operational structures of trafficking networks, adding that asset forfeiture and heavy penalties would be used to disrupt such criminal enterprises.
He commended officers of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command for their vigilance in detecting the concealed cocaine shipment, as well as the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their handling of the case. He also acknowledged the judiciary for the expedited hearing, describing the cooperation as critical to strengthening enforcement outcomes.
Reaffirming the agency’s broader mandate, Marwa said the NDLEA remains committed not only to combating drug trafficking but also to safeguarding national security and protecting young people from the consequences of substance abuse, while enhancing intelligence capabilities and operational effectiveness across the country.
By PRNigeria
