The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted the vessel MV Nord Bosporus at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, taking into custody 20 Filipino crew members after discovering 20 kilogrammes of cocaine. The ship, which arrived from the port of Santos in Brazil, was interdicted on Sunday, November 16, 2025. Following the discovery of the illicit shipment concealed beneath its cargo, the vessel's Master, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, along with 19 other Filipino crew members, were arrested and brought before the Federal High Court in Lagos for investigation.

Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos subsequently granted an initial 14-day detention order for both the MV Nord Bosporus and its crew on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to facilitate further investigation. Preliminary findings by the NDLEA indicate that this was the vessel’s inaugural voyage to Nigeria and Africa, having previously been engaged primarily in transporting coal between Colombia and Brazil. Captain Corpus had been serving on the vessel for approximately three months prior to the interception.

This incident draws parallels to a previous case in October 2021 (with conviction in May 2025), where 10 Thai sailors aboard the MV Chayanee Naree were arrested for trafficking 32.9 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil. That case led to the conviction of the sailors, alongside nine Nigerian suspects, who were collectively fined $4.3 million by the Federal High Court in Lagos.

In response to the recent seizure, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, lauded the vigilance and diligence of officers from the Apapa Strategic Command and the Directorate of Seaport Operations. He emphasized the agency’s unwavering commitment to securing Nigeria's borders, stating, “This cocaine seizure is not just an operational success but a clear demonstration of our heightened capacity and unwavering resolve.” Marwa issued a stern warning to both international and domestic collaborators in the drug trade, declaring that “Nigeria is not, and will never be, your space or your foothold. The NDLEA operates with zero tolerance and will not permit any illicit drug to pass through our borders, whether by air, land, or sea.” He underscored the severe legal consequences awaiting Nigerians who aid foreign syndicates, highlighting that such actions constitute a betrayal of the nation’s future, with commitments to dismantle illicit structures and ensure long-term incarceration.

In related news, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the reappointment of Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman of the NDLEA for another five-year term, extending his leadership until 2031. Marwa, initially appointed in January 2021, previously chaired the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse from 2018 to 2020. A former military governor of Lagos and Borno States, he is an alumnus of the Nigerian Military School and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), holding two postgraduate degrees: a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.

Separately, the NDLEA Kano Strategic Command has reported a significant crackdown on illicit substance peddlers across various hotspots, leading to the arrest of no fewer than 230 suspects. This 30-day intensive operation, executed in collaboration with sister agencies including the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), and the Department of State Services (DSS) under the Kano State Joint Taskforce for Peace Restoration and Youth Rehabilitation, also resulted in the seizure of large quantities of illicit substances and weapons.