Agency holds 20 Filipino crew members as investigation begins.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a vessel arriving from Brazil with 20 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath its cargo at the Apapa seaport in Lagos. The agency also detained the ship MV Nord Bosporus along with its 20 Filipino crew members as part of an ongoing investigation.
The seizure, which occurred on Sunday, November 16, 2025, was confirmed in a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja. According to him, NDLEA operatives discovered the illicit substance during a thorough search of the vessel, marked IMO 9760110, which had sailed from Santos Port in Brazil.
Babafemi explained that following the discovery, the Agency approached the Federal High Court in Lagos for an order permitting the detention of the ship and crew. Justice Musa Kakaki granted the request on Thursday, November 20, in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25, approving an initial 14-day detention period for further investigation.
Preliminary findings showed that this was the first time the MV Nord Bosporus was calling at any port in Nigeria or Africa. The vessel, which ordinarily plies routes between Colombia and Brazil transporting coal, has had Captain Quino Eugene Corpus in command for only three months.
Babafemi also recalled a similar incident in 2021, when NDLEA arrested 10 Thai sailors aboard MV Chayanee Naree for trafficking 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria. The sailors and the vessel were eventually convicted in May 2025 and fined $4.3 million by Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court.
Reacting to the latest operation, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the professionalism and vigilance of officers at the Apapa Strategic Command and the Directorate of Seaport Operations. He described the seizure as another strong signal of Nigeria’s firm stance against drug trafficking.
“This is not just an operational breakthrough but a clear expression of our enhanced capacity and unwavering resolve,” Marwa said. He warned that Nigeria would never serve as a safe corridor or marketplace for transnational drug syndicates.
He added: “Let it be clear to all international cartels and their local collaborators, Nigeria is not, and will never be your foothold. Our zero tolerance posture remains intact. Whatever the sophistication of your concealment, you will fail.”
Marwa further cautioned Nigerians aiding foreign drug networks, stressing that such acts amount to betraying the country’s future. He vowed that the NDLEA would dismantle their operations, seize illicit assets, and ensure long term imprisonment where necessary.
The NDLEA states that investigation into the crew and the intercepted cocaine shipment is ongoing.
