A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, the MV Nord Bosporus, for the unlawful importation of 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.
In a statement released Wednesday, March 18, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi announced a swift legal victory: the conviction of a vessel and its crew just four months after their arrest.
It could be recalled that the vessel was intercepted by the NDLEA at the Apapa Seaport on November 16, 2025, following its arrival from Santos, Brazil. Presiding over the case, the court imposed a $6 million fine on the vessel and an additional ₦1.1 million penalty. The sailors, including Master Eugene Quinos Corpuz, entered guilty pleas under a plea bargain finalized on March 17, 2026.
Leading the legal charge, NDLEA Director of Prosecution and Legal Services Theresa Asuquo and her team filed a four-count indictment at the Federal High Court 2, Lagos. The proceedings were initiated under suit number FHC/L/1232C/25.
However, the legal tide turned when the vessel and its Filipino sailors—led by Eugene Quinos Corpuz and nine others—decided to enter a guilty plea as part of a negotiated settlement. On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court 2, Lagos, finalized the matter, finding the MV Nord Bosporus guilty of violating Section 25 of the NDLEA Act. The convicted crew included sailors Jardiniano, Evarrola, Carpio, Mayran, Lagura, Malvar, Guivencan, Hufanda, and Reyes.
Justice Faji ordered the vessel to pay a ₦100,000 penalty for the offence, alongside a substantial restitution of $5.35 million (USD) to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In a sweeping judgment, the vessel’s top three officers were slapped with $100,000 restitution and ₦100,000 fines each, while the remaining seven sailors were ordered to pay $50,000 and ₦100,000 apiece. These individual sentences, combined with the vessel’s own penalties, culminate in a massive $6 million and ₦1.1 million payout to the Federal Government—a major victory for the NDLEA in its fight against maritime drug trafficking.
In a post-judgment reaction, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) described the conviction as a major milestone. He emphasized that the legal victory: “is a resounding victory for the rule of law and a powerful testament to the renewed vigour of the NDLEA in our mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.”
Marwa further emphasized;
“the imposition of a $6 million fine equally serves as a stark, expensive lesson to international drug cartels and their local collaborators that Nigeria’s territorial waters are no longer a playground for the illicit narcotics trade.
“Let this judgment 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. We have moved beyond mere seizures; we are now hitting the syndicates where it hurts most, their pockets and their operational assets.”
The NDLEA Chairman praised the Apapa Strategic Command for their expert detection of the illicit cargo hidden deep within the commodity vessel. Drawing parallels to the previous MV Chayanee Naree case, he remarked that the win “shows that our ‘back-to-back’ strategy is yielding concrete results.” The NDLEA Chairman also gave a special nod to the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their meticulous handling of the high-stakes trial.
“We thank the judiciary for the accelerated hearing of this case. This synergy between the NDLEA and the courts is the nightmare of every drug baron, and we shall continue to strengthen this partnership until the last drug supply chain in Nigeria is dismantled”, he stated.
Sending a clear message to drug cartels, Marwa reaffirmed the NDLEA’s mission: “We are not just fighting a crime; we are defending the future of our youth and the security of our nation,” he stated. “In doing this, our intelligence networks are getting wider, our technology sharper, and our resolve is unbreakable.”
