A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, imposing fines and restitution totalling $6 million and ₦1.1 million for importing 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, noting that the suspects were arrested at the Apapa seaport on November 16, 2025.
The arrests led to a four-count charge (FHC/L/1232C/25) filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos by a team of NDLEA prosecutors led by the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo.
The vessel and its crew—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 pleaded guilty under a plea bargain agreement.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Ayokunle Faji found MV Nord Bosporus guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and ordered the vessel to pay a ₦100,000 penalty and $5.35 million in restitution to the Federal Government.
The court also fined the three principal officers listed as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants ₦100,000 each and ordered them to pay $100,000 each in restitution.
The remaining crew members were each fined ₦100,000 and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution, bringing the total financial penalties to $6 million and ₦1.1 million.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the conviction as “a resounding victory for the rule of law” and a demonstration of the agency’s renewed resolve to combat drug trafficking.
He said the $6 million penalty sends a strong warning to international drug cartels that Nigeria’s territorial waters are no longer safe for illicit operations.
Marwa also commended the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command for uncovering the concealed cocaine and praised the judiciary for the swift handling of the case, noting that the collaboration between the agency and the courts is strengthening the fight against drug trafficking.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting national security and safeguarding the future of Nigerian youth.
