The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 20 Filipino sailors caught ferrying at least 20 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil to Lagos main port.
The anti-narcotics agency also intercepted the laden vessel- MV Nord Bosporus marked 9760110 from the port of Santos in Brazil at the Apapa seaport in Lagos with no less than 20 kilograms of the Class A drug buried under its cargo.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
He said the illicit drug consignment was discovered on board the vessel by NDLEA officers who, thereafter, took the Master of the ship, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, and 19 other crew members who were Filipinos into custody for investigation.
According to him, the NDLEA filed an application with the court for an order to detain the vessel and the 20 Filipinos on board for further investigation following the seizure and arrest of the crew members.
On Friday, it was learnt that the motion ex parte in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25 was argued before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, who granted the application for an initial 14-day detention of the vessel, Capt. Corpus and 19 other Filipino crew members.
Preliminary investigations revealed that this was the first time the vessel was coming to Nigeria and Africa, as it’s been largely transporting coal between Colombia and Brazil, while Captain Corpus had been barely three months with the ship.
Confirming the arrest, the NDLEA chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) commended the officers, men, and women of the Apapa Strategic Command of the Agency as well as the Directorate of Seaport Operations for their vigilance, diligence, and professionalism.
Marwa said the cocaine seizure is not just an operational success but “a clear demonstration of our heightened capacity and unwavering resolve,” adding that “we will continue to tighten our grip on all entry and exit points, especially our seaports, which transnational criminal organisations have historically attempted to exploit.”
“Let this be an unambiguous message to every international drug cartel and every internal collaborator: Nigeria is not, and will never be, your space or your foothold.
“The NDLEA is operating with zero tolerance, and we will not permit any illicit drug to pass through our borders, whether by air, land, or sea. You may scheme, you may attempt sophisticated concealment, but you will fail.
“Our intelligence network, collaboration with international partners, and the dedication of our officers are steps ahead of your nefarious activities,” he said.
“You are not just committing a crime; you are betraying your nation’s future. The consequences of aiding and abetting drug trafficking will be severe and unrelenting.
“We are committed to using the full force of the law to dismantle your structures, seize your illicit assets, and secure your long-term incarceration”, he added.
