NDLEA Intercepts ‘Notorious’ Fuel Tanker Carrying 2,145kg Cannabis

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has uncovered 165 bags of cannabis hidden inside a fuel tanker during an operation in Ondo State.

The cannabis weighed 2,145kg, according to the agency, which described the interception as one of several significant drug seizures recorded during its latest nationwide operations.

The tanker was intercepted along the Akoko/Lokoja Expressway on Friday, September 4, 2026.

NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said officers attempted to flag down the 20,000-litre tanker but the driver allegedly refused to stop.

The driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko before escaping into the bush.

The abandoned vehicle was subsequently searched by NDLEA operatives.

During the search, officers discovered a concealed compartment fitted inside the tanker.

The compartment contained 165 bags of cannabis.

The total weight of the seized substance was put at 2,145kg.

The tanker, which was marked MKA 960 XC, was also carrying legitimate fuel cargo.

According to the NDLEA, the fuel was reportedly destined for Jos in Plateau State.

The discovery illustrates one of the concealment methods allegedly being employed by drug traffickers to move illicit substances through Nigeria’s road network.

The vehicle was apparently being used for a legitimate commercial purpose, but investigators found a hidden section containing more than two tonnes of cannabis.

The NDLEA said the tanker had allegedly become notorious for evading arrest.

Its interception was therefore considered an important development in the agency’s efforts to disrupt suspected trafficking operations.

Drug trafficking networks often rely on Nigeria’s extensive road network to move substances between states and distribution centres.

Major highways linking the southwest with the north provide important routes for legitimate commerce, but law enforcement agencies also monitor them for suspected criminal activity.

The NDLEA has increasingly relied on intelligence-led operations to identify vehicles and locations suspected of being connected to drug trafficking.

The agency’s latest operations extended beyond Ondo.

Officials reported other seizures in states including Lagos, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kogi, Taraba, Ekiti and Enugu.

The substances recovered during the wider operations included cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine and other controlled substances.

The agency said the operations demonstrated its continuing focus on disrupting the supply chain rather than simply arresting individual users.

In the Ondo case, the driver reportedly escaped before the tanker was searched.

The circumstances surrounding the vehicle, its ownership and the intended destination of the cannabis are expected to form part of any further investigation.

The NDLEA has continued to encourage intelligence gathering and cooperation aimed at identifying drug trafficking networks.

The agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers involved in the latest operations and urged them to maintain pressure on traffickers.

The Ondo seizure is another example of the agency’s attempts to detect drugs before they enter wider distribution channels.

With 2,145kg recovered from one tanker, the operation represents a substantial seizure and highlights the continuing scale of illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

The NDLEA said it would continue targeting traffickers who use legitimate business activities, vehicles and sophisticated concealment methods to move illicit substances across the country.