Abuja — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos authorising the detention of a merchant vessel, its captain and 20 other crew members following the seizure of 25.5 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Apapa seaport.
A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday read that the cocaine was discovered aboard the commodity vessel MV San Antonio, which sailed from Brazil.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence, uncovered the illicit drugs hidden in the ship's hatch on December 6, 2025, adding that after the vessel's cargo was fully discharged, all 21 crew members were taken into NDLEA custody alongside the seized drug exhibits.
He noted that the suspects are of diverse nationalities, including Russian, Filipino, Ukrainian and Azerbaijani.
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He said among those detained is the vessel's master, Trofymov Oleksandr, as well as other crew members namely: Stoychev Sergiy, Bobrov Maksim, Stupnytsky Sergiy, Bitinev Aleksei, Novruzov Teymur, Sosnov Oleg, Bondar Ihor, Klymenko Oleh, Cala Michael De Jesus, Jamir Julfikhar Jacusalem, Blanco Crus Veloso, Fajardo Ronnel Luntaao, Gumela Lolito Jr. Serojano, Toston Romulo Jr. Oling, Smirnov Viacheslav, Gorre Mar Kemmeth Tabudlong, Cruz John Vhoie Glavez, Sablan Jamille Alorro, Abesia Kelvin Belarmino and Ubay Kenneth Biaoco.
He noted that the interception follows a similar operation barely weeks earlier, when NDLEA officers seized no fewer than 20 kilogrammes of cocaine aboard another commodity vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, which arrived from the port of Santos, Brazil, adding that the seizure was made at the Apapa seaport on November 16, 2025.
Babafemi said in line with international maritime and legal protocols, the NDLEA last Friday, filed an ex parte application before Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking an order to detain the vessel and its crew pending the conclusion of investigations and the filing of criminal charges.
Granting the application in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1408/2025, the court ordered the detention of MV San Antonio for an initial period of 14 days following the seizure of the cocaine on December 6, 2025 at Apapa.
The order is to subsist pending the completion of investigations and/or the commencement of prosecution. The case was adjourned to December 29, 2025.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), said the seizure reinforces his earlier warning to international drug cartels and their local collaborators that Nigeria will not be a safe haven for illicit drug trafficking.
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Commending officers of the agency's Apapa Strategic Command for what he described as back-to-back successful operations, Marwa said the outcome reflects the NDLEA's strengthened operational capacity and unwavering resolve to dismantle drug syndicates targeting Nigeria and the wider West African sub-region.
He added that the agency would continue to work closely with local and international partners to enforce zero tolerance for substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking across the country.
