By A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, for importing 31.5 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa Seaport and ordered them to pay a combined restitution of about $6 million to the Federal Government.
The conviction comes six months after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted the vessel and discovered 31.5kg of cocaine concealed in Hatch 3 of the ship at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos, on January 2, 2026.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Media and Advocacy for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the master of the vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, alongside 10 other crew members, was arraigned before Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a two-count charge bordering on drug importation.
The other convicted sailors are Bharati Manoj Kumar, Nevage Sandesh Suresh, Pandey Prashant, Nuttu Anand, Akash Babu, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, Melethil Insaf Rahman, Barla Chantanya Krishna, Prabhasukhan Singu, and Jai Parkash.
Babafemi said the court delivered its ruling on Thursday after considering plea bargain agreements filed by both the prosecution and defence.
“As a result, all 12 defendants were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and sentenced to pay the sum of N100,000 each, which is the penalty for the offence under the Act,” the statement said.
The court further ordered the vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, to pay restitution of $5.3 million, or its equivalent in naira, to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In addition, three principal officers of the vessel:Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, and Melethil Insaf Rahman were ordered to pay $100,000 each in restitution, while the remaining crew members are to pay $50,000 each.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the ruling as another major victory in the fight of the agency against international drug trafficking.
“This judgment is the third of its kind in recent times, following the convictions of foreign nationals and vessels on similar charges. Let it be known that these are not coincidences, they are the direct result of deliberate, intelligence-led operations by our officers who remain vigilant at every port of entry,” Marwa said.
“The NDLEA will not relent. Whether you come by air, land, or sea; whether you are a Nigerian or a foreign national, if you attempt to use our waters as a narcotics highway, you will face the full weight of Nigerian law.
“Our courts have spoken, and we will continue to give them reason to speak. The war against drug trafficking is one we are winning and we intend to keep it that way,” he added.
