The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus carrying 20 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa seaport.
The ship, its helmsman and 19 Filipino crew members were detained following a court order secured by the Agency after NDLEA officers discovered the cocaine on Sunday, 16 November 2025, on board the vessel, which arrived from the port of Santos in Brazil.
Court Order and Arrest
Following the seizure, the Agency filed an ex parte motion before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos. The court, in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25, granted an initial 14-day detention order for the vessel, the captain and the 19 crew members on Thursday 20 November 2025.
Investigators found that MV Nord Bosporus was arriving in Nigeria and Africa for the first time. The vessel had been used mainly to transport coal between Colombia and Brazil. Captain Corpus had also served only three months on the ship before the arrest.
Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), warned that the Agency’s stance against drug trafficking remains uncompromising. He also issued a warning to Nigerians aiding foreign drug syndicates.
“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 said.
