The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 20 sailors from the Philippines after finding cocaine on their ship in Lagos.
Officers discovered 20 kilograms of the illegal drug hidden on the vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, at the Apapa seaport on Sunday. The ship had arrived from Santos, Brazil.
On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Lagos gave the NDLEA permission to detain the ship and its crew for 14 days. Justice Musa Kakaki granted the order so investigators can question the ship's captain, Quino Eugene Corpus, and his 19 crew members.
Reports say this was the ship’s first time in Nigeria, as it usually carries coal between Colombia and Brazil.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), praised the officers for their hard work. He sent a strong warning to international drug gangs.
"Nigeria is not, and will never be, your space," Marwa said.
He promised that the agency will continue to watch the country's borders closely. He also warned Nigerians not to help foreign drug dealers, stating that the punishment for such crimes will be severe.
This arrest comes just six months after 10 Thai sailors were jailed and fined for bringing cocaine into Nigeria.
