Justice James Tsoho of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday issued summons against seven Russians charged with unlawful importation of arms into Nigeria.
The accused persons are Chichkanov Vasily, Varlygin Igor, Komilov Alexander, Mishin Pavel, Korotchenko Andrey, Vorobev Mikhail and Stepan Oleksiuk.
They were charged along with their vessel, MV Myre Seadiver, on four counts.
Tsoho issued the summons, following an application by Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Jane Igurnumbe, who informed the court of the absence of the accused.
Igurnumbe had told the court that the accused, who ought to be re-arraigned, were out of Nigeria.
She urged the court to compel them to appear before the court.
Tsoho adjourned the case to July 9 for the re-arraignment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 15 Russians were initially accused of the offence and arraigned before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on Feb. 19.
They, however, pleaded not guilty.
Okeke released them on bail to the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, and granted the vessel bail through a 500,000 dollars bond to be obtained from First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
The judge later retired.
On June 18, the Federal Government dropped charges against eight of the accused, and said that it would prosecute the remaining seven.
At the arraignment before Okeke, the Prosecutor, Mr Ernest Ezebilo, had told the court that the Nigerian Navy arrested the Russians and the vessel on Oct. 18, 2012 in Lagos State.
Ezebilo said that the Russians entered Nigerian territorial waters with the vessel without due licence and clearance from the Nigerian Customs Service.
According to the prosecutor, the accused also refused to declare the content of the vessel, contrary to the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act, 2002.
He said that when the vessel was arrested and opened by the navy, a cache of firearms and ammunition was discovered concealed in it.
Ezebilo said that the offences contravened Section 27 of the Firearms Act, 2004 as well as the Miscellanous Offences Act, 2004.