The Federal High Court in Lagos has handed down a guilty verdict to a ship and its 11 Filipino crew members for conspiring to smuggle cocaine into Nigeria.
In a plea bargain agreement reached with the Federal Government, the court imposed a fine of N100,000 on the vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, and ordered the payment of $5.35 million in restitution. The ship's principal officers, including the Captain and senior crew, were each fined N100,000 and required to pay $100,000 in restitution, while the remaining crew members faced a fine of N100,000 and were ordered to pay $50,000 to the Government.
The crew members, 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, had been arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on charges of conspiracy and unlawful importation of cocaine. They were arrested on November 16, 2025, at Apapa Port, Lagos, after attempting to bring 20 kilograms of cocaine aboard the MV Nord Bosporus from Santos, Brazil, into Nigeria.
The court's decision comes after the crew initially pleaded not guilty, but later changed their plea to guilty under Section 270(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Their Counsel, Femi Atoyebi, SAN, confirmed the plea bargain and urged the court to adopt its terms.
The conviction of the MV Nord Bosporus and its crew sends a strong signal that the Nigerian government will not tolerate the smuggling of illicit substances into the country. The $5.35 million restitution ordered by the court is a significant blow to the crew and their employer. The incident highlights the need for increased vigilance at the nation's ports, particularly at Apapa Port, where the crew was arrested. The NDLEA must be commended for its efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice. This verdict should serve as a deterrent to others who would seek to engage in similar illicit activities.
