The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a fuel tanker allegedly being used to transport a large consignment of cannabis across Nigeria.
The operation took place on Friday, September 4, 2026, when NDLEA officers flagged down a 20,000-litre tanker along the Akoko-Lokoja Expressway in Ondo State.
The tanker, with registration number MKA 960 XC and painted in the colours commonly associated with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, was reportedly carrying fuel destined for Jos, Plateau State.
According to the NDLEA, the driver refused to stop when officers signalled him and instead accelerated away, leading to a pursuit. The driver eventually abandoned the tanker at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and reportedly escaped into a nearby bush.
A search of the vehicle subsequently uncovered a concealed compartment specially constructed at the rear of the tanker. Inside it, officers found 165 bags of cannabis weighing a combined 2,145 kilogrammes.
The agency said the illicit drugs had been carefully concealed alongside the legitimate fuel cargo in an apparent attempt to disguise the vehicle and evade security checkpoints.
The NDLEA said the tanker had reportedly attracted attention during previous attempts to intercept it for allegedly avoiding security checks. Its eventual seizure was described as a significant development in efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks that exploit commercial vehicles to move illicit substances.
The interception was part of a wider series of anti-narcotics operations conducted by the agency across several states during the week. Other operations reportedly resulted in the recovery of substances including tramadol and methamphetamine, as well as other arrests and seizures.
However, the discovery of more than two tonnes of cannabis hidden inside a fuel tanker has drawn particular attention because of the quantity involved and the elaborate concealment method allegedly used by the traffickers.
The NDLEA said investigations are ongoing as authorities work to determine the individuals behind the shipment and identify others who may have been involved in the trafficking operation.
