NDLEA Seizes 20,000-Litre Fuel Tanker Carrying 2,145kg of Cannabis in Ondo
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker allegedly being used to transport 2,145 kilogrammes of cannabis hidden in a concealed compartment in Ondo State.
The tanker, marked MKA 960 XC, was intercepted along the Akoko/Lokoja Expressway on Friday, September 4, 2026, after its driver allegedly refused to stop when flagged down by NDLEA officers.
According to NDLEA Director of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, the driver later abandoned the tanker at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush.
A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a false compartment containing 165 bags of cannabis, weighing a total of 2,145kg.
The legitimate fuel cargo was reportedly destined for Jos, Plateau State, with the illicit consignment concealed within the tanker.
The NDLEA described the seizure as a significant breakthrough, saying the tanker had previously gained notoriety for allegedly evading arrest during earlier operations.
NDLEA Busts Drug Traffickers, Seizes Cocaine, Opioids, and Cannabis (archive photo)
Wider Nationwide Drug Crackdown
The Ondo seizure was part of a wider series of coordinated NDLEA operations across nine states, including Lagos, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu.
The operations resulted in the recovery of large quantities of cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine, codeine and other controlled substances.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg, valued at more than ₦1.1 billion. The tablets were reportedly concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan.
The agency also recovered 57.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, from a shipment originating from Singapore. The consignment was valued at more than ₦173 million.
At Tincan Port in Lagos, operatives intercepted 598.08kg of cannabis-laced cookies and gummies, comprising 890 packets, inside a 40-foot container. The seizure was linked to an earlier interception involving 842.54kg of cannabis-infused cookies.
In Adamawa, NDLEA officers recovered 864,000 opioid pills, particularly tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect. Another operation in Michika led to the seizure of 2kg of methamphetamine.
Other major seizures included 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Ondo State towards Jos along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State.
In Taraba, more than 109kg of assorted controlled substances were recovered from a vehicle travelling from Onitsha in Anambra State to Yola in Adamawa State. The drugs included tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin.
In Kaduna, officers intercepted a truck carrying bags of cement along the Zaria-Kano Expressway and recovered 1,179kg of skunk.
The crackdown also extended to Ekiti, where NDLEA operatives destroyed a four-hectare cannabis farm in the Efon-Alaaye forest and recovered 117kg of already harvested skunk.
In Enugu, 40,590 capsules of tramadol were recovered during an interception at Ugbema Junction.
NDLEA Targets New Concealment Methods
Babafemi said the operations demonstrate the agency’s continued reliance on intelligence-led enforcement to dismantle drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit substances from reaching the public.
He said traffickers were continually developing new ways of concealing and transporting drugs, making intelligence gathering and coordinated operations increasingly important.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers involved and urged them to maintain what he described as a balanced approach to drug control.
Marwa also warned that traffickers attempting to evade detection through new identities, legitimate business fronts or sophisticated concealment techniques would continue to be tracked.
For Nigerian authorities, the latest seizures highlight the increasingly sophisticated methods being used to move illicit drugs across the country. The NDLEA’s challenge now extends beyond intercepting individual consignments to dismantling the wider networks behind their movement and distribution.
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