The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a NNPC branded 20,000-litre fuel tanker allegedly conveying 2,145 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in a specially constructed compartment in Ondo State.


Operatives of the NDLEA intercepted the tanker along the Akoko/Lokoja Expressway in Ondo State on Friday, September 4, 2026, during a drug interdiction operation.


According to the agency, the tanker, marked MKA 960 XC, was loaded with legitimate fuel cargo reportedly destined for Jos, Plateau State. However, operatives discovered 165 bags of cannabis, commonly known as skunk, concealed in a false compartment within the vehicle.


The NDLEA said the driver allegedly refused to stop when operatives attempted to intercept the tanker. He subsequently abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and reportedly fled into a nearby bush.


The agency said its operatives later conducted a search of the abandoned tanker and discovered the concealed cannabis weighing 2,145kg.


The NDLEA further alleged that the tanker had previously been involved in attempts to evade interception during drug enforcement operations.


The seizure formed part of a wider series of operations conducted by the agency across several states, during which various quantities of illicit drugs, including cannabis, tramadol and methamphetamine, were recovered.


The latest interception underscores the growing use of unconventional methods by drug traffickers to conceal and transport illicit substances, as law enforcement agencies intensify efforts to disrupt the supply chain of controlled drugs across the country.


The NDLEA said investigations into the abandoned tanker and efforts to identify and apprehend the fleeing driver are ongoing.