The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has secured the conviction of 10 Filipino sailors and their vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, over the importation of 20 kilogrammes of cocaine.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
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PREMIUM TIMES reported that the NDLEA arraigned the defendants before trial judge Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.
Mr Babafemi said that the illicit consignment was imported into the Nigeria through the Apapa Seaport, with total penalties amounting to six million dollars and N1.1 million.
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He recalled that the sailors and the merchant vessel were arrested on 16 November 2025, after NDLEA operatives uncovered 20 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine concealed deep within the cargo of the ship which arrived from Santos, Brazil.
Reacting to the judgement, NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, a retired brigadier-general, described the conviction as a resounding victory for the rule of law and a testament to the renewed vigour of the agency in its mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.
Mr Marwa said the judgement served as an unambiguous signal that Nigeria’s territorial waters were no longer a playground for illicit narcotics trade.
He said the $6 million fine was a stark and expensive lesson to international drug cartels and their local collaborators.
”Let this judgement be an unambiguous signal to every shipping line, vessel owner and sailor worldwide that if you turn your ships into floating warehouses for illicit drugs, you will not only lose your freedom but also your assets,” he said.
The NDLEA boss added that the agency had moved beyond mere seizures to targeting the financial base and operational assets of drug syndicates.
He commended officers and men of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command for their vigilance in detecting the cocaine consignment buried deep within the cargo of the vessel.
He said the success, coming on the heels of similar convictions as that of MV Chayanee Naree, showed that the agency’s “back-to-back” strategy was yielding concrete results.
The NDLEA chairman also expressed appreciation to the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their diligence in handling the case.
He further commended the judiciary for the accelerated hearing, noting that the synergy between the agency and the courts remained critical in dismantling drug supply chains.
Mr Marwa reaffirmed the agency’s resolve on the fight against drug trafficking, saying is it about defending the future of youths of the nation and ensuring national security.
”Our intelligence networks are getting wider, our technology sharper, and our resolve is unbreakable,” he said.
Plea bargain
Wednesday’s conviction of the Filipinos and their vessel is likely the outcome of a plea bargain agreement between the defence and the prosecution following their arraignment on Monday.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the NDLEA arraigned the defendants before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.
Although they pleaded not guilty, defence and prosecution lawyers informed the court of an ongoing plea bargain talks over the charges.
The prosecution, led by Theresa Asuquo, 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.
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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.
The defendants include 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.
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