By Francis Ajuonuma
A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and their vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, for trafficking 20 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil through Apapa Port, imposing fines totalling $6 million and N1.1 million.
The sailors were arrested in November 2025 by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and later entered guilty pleas under a plea bargain.
In his ruling, Justice Ayokunle Faji held that both the crew and the vessel were culpable under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act, ordering restitution in addition to the financial penalties.
NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the judgment as “a resounding victory for the rule of law” and a clear warning to international drug trafficking networks.
“Nigeria’s territorial waters are no longer a playground for illicit narcotics,” he said.
Marwa commended the Apapa Strategic Command for uncovering the cocaine concealed within the cargo and praised the agency’s Directorate of Prosecution for its handling of the case.
He noted that the NDLEA is intensifying efforts to dismantle trafficking networks by targeting both illicit drugs and the assets used in their movement.
“This judgment sends an unambiguous signal to every shipping line and sailor worldwide: if you turn your ships into floating warehouses for drugs, you will lose your freedom and assets,” he added.
He further stressed that the agency is expanding its intelligence capabilities and deploying technology to strengthen surveillance and enforcement across Nigeria’s maritime corridors.
The conviction, following similar cases involving international vessels, underscores a sustained crackdown on drug trafficking through the country’s ports.
