A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has extended the detention order placed on a vessel, MV San Antonio, and its 21 crew members over their alleged involvement in the smuggling of 25.5 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria.
The court, presided over by Justice Friday Ogazi, granted the extension after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) applied for additional time to conclude its investigation into the suspected drug trafficking operation.
The vessel and its crew were initially arrested by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) upon arrival at the Apapa Port, Lagos, on December 6, after sailing from Brazil.
According to investigators, the cocaine was concealed inside a bulk consignment of sugar aboard the ship.
Following the arrest, the vessel, and crew members were handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The crew included the vessel’s master, Trofymov Oleksandr, alongside 20 other foreign nationals of various nationalities.
Justice Ogazi had earlier, on December 12, granted an ex parte application filed by the NDLEA through its counsel, Kunle Adebajo, permitting the agency to detain the vessel and its crew for an initial period of 14 days.
At the resumed hearing, the NDLEA counsel informed the court that the agency had filed a fresh application seeking an extension of the remand order for another 14 days.
He explained that investigations were still ongoing and had not yet been concluded.
The lawyer informed the court that the application was supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit, deposed by Fatogun Thompson.
He further disclosed that preliminary findings had linked some Nigerian nationals to the alleged cocaine trafficking syndicate, necessitating further investigation.
He therefore urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice.
In his ruling, Justice Ogazi held that the application had merit, noting that the NDLEA had provided sufficient grounds for the request. He accordingly granted the extension as prayed.
The judge adjourned the matter until January 13, 2026 for the NDLEA to report on the progress of its investigation.
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