Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, over the importation of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport, imposing fines and restitution totalling about $6 million.
The judgment comes barely six months after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted the illicit consignment concealed in hatch three of the vessel at the GDNL terminal, Apapa Port, on January 2, 2026.
The vessel and its crew members were arrested following the discovery of the cocaine, which had been transported from the Marshall Islands to Nigeria.
The convicted crew members include the vessel’s master, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, alongside 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.
They were arraigned on a two-count charge in suit number FHC/L/56C/2026 before the Federal High Court.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, June 11, 2026, Justice Aneke adopted the plea bargain agreement entered into by the prosecution and defence, convicting all 12 defendants under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act.
The court sentenced each defendant to pay a fine of N100,000, being the statutory penalty prescribed under the Act.
In addition, the vessel, listed as the first defendant in the suit, was ordered to pay restitution of $5.3 million or its naira equivalent to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The court further directed the vessel’s three principal officers — Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad and Melethil Insaf Rahman — to pay restitution of $100,000 each to the Federal Government.
The remaining crew members, who were listed as the fifth to twelfth defendants, were ordered to pay restitution of $50,000 each.
Reacting to the judgment, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the conviction as a strong warning to international drug trafficking syndicates seeking to use Nigeria as a transit route for illicit substances.
“This judgment is the third of its kind in recent times, following the convictions of foreign nationals and vessels on similar charges,” Marwa said.
“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.
“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.”
Marwa commended officers and personnel of the Agency’s Apapa Strategic Command for uncovering the cocaine shipment hidden within the cargo of the vessel. He also praised the NDLEA’s Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for its role in securing the conviction.
According to him, the successful prosecution reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to combating transnational drug trafficking and safeguarding its maritime gateways from criminal exploitation.
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