Lagos court convicts ten Filipinos, merchant vessel for cocaine pushing

A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and a merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, for trafficking 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport.

The suspects were arrested in November 2025 by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency after the drugs were discovered on board the ship.

Following their arrest, the sailors and the vessel were charged to court by NDLEA prosecutors, after which the defendants pleaded guilty and entered into a plea bargain agreement.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ayokunle Faji found the vessel and its crew guilty of drug trafficking offences and ordered them to pay fines and restitution to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The vessel was fined and ordered to pay over five million dollars in restitution, while the crew members were also fined and directed to pay varying sums, bringing the total penalty to six million dollars and over one million naira.

Western Post confirmed that the case involved 10 sailors, including Eugene Corpuz, Mark Jardiniano, and others.

Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the conviction as a major victory in the fight against drug trafficking in Nigeria.

He said the ruling sends a strong warning to drug cartels that Nigeria’s waters are no longer safe for illegal activities, commending NDLEA officers and the judiciary for their efforts in securing the conviction.