NDLEA arraigns vessel, 10 Filipinos for cocaine trafficking

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Monday, arraigned the vessel MV Nord Bosporus and 10 Filipino nationals before the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged conspiracy and unlawful importation of 20 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria.

The defendants were arraigned before trial judge Ayokunle Faji.

The prosecution lawyer, Theresa Asuquo, told the court that the defendants and the vessel were arrested on 16 November, at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos.

She alleged that the Filipinos conspired among themselves to unlawfully import 20 kilogrammes of cocaine aboard the vessel.

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According to Mr Asuquo, the acts violate Sections 11(b) and 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The defendants, who all pleaded not guilty to the four counts, include are Eugene Quinos Corpuz, Mark Joseph Jardiniano, Alexis Navidad Evarrola, Francis Gerard Niones Carpio, and Franz Jude Mayran.

The rest are Mahinay Junniel Lagura, Mario Ganiban Malvar, Hormachuelos Lordito Guivencan, Joshua Emmanuel Hufanda, and Edwin Baltazar Reyes.

The prosecution informed the court that a plea bargain agreement had been signed in line with Section 270(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and intends to file an amended charge.

The defendants’ lead lawyer, Femi Atoyebi, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), confirmed the plea bargain and requested a hearing date.

By consent of both parties, Mr Faji adjourned the matter until Tuesday, 16 March, for further hearing.

Background

The NDLEA arrested the defendants in November last year following a preliminary interception of the MV Nord Bosporus by NDLEA operatives at Apapa Port.

The cocaine, weighing 20 kilogrammes, was reportedly concealed under the ship’s cargo.

According to the NDLEA, the vessel, travelling from Santos, Brazil, was making its first visit to Nigeria and Africa, having previously transported coal between Colombia and Brazil.

The ship’s master, Mr Corpuz, had been with the vessel for only three months.

Following the arrest, NDLEA obtained a court order for a 14-day detention of the vessel and the 20 Filipino crew members to allow for further investigation.

The seizure is part of a wider effort by the NDLEA to secure Nigeria’s borders, following earlier interceptions including 10 Thai sailors aboard the MV Chayanee Naree in May 2025, who attempted to bring 32.9 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil.

Speaking on the operation, NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, a retired brigadier-general, praised the Apapa Command and the Directorate of Seaport Operations.

He warned international drug cartels and local collaborators that Nigeria is not a safe space for illicit drugs, adding that the agency operates with zero tolerance for narcotics smuggling.

Between January 2023 and March 2024, the NDLEA seized over 207,976 kilogrammes of hard drugs across Nigerian seaports, arresting 167 suspects, highlighting the agency’s ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking.

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Charges

In one count, the NDLEA alleged that the suspects transported 20 kilogrammes of cocaine from Santos, Brazil, to Nigeria on 16 November 16, 2025, without lawful authority (contrary to Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act).

In another charge, the agency accused the suspects of conspiring with one another between October and November 2025 to unlawfully transport and import 20 kilograms of cocaine aboard the vessel (contrary to Sections 14(b) and 11(a) of the NDLEA Act).