By
Gloria Josiah

Abuja – Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker used to smuggle 2,145kg of cannabis, in a wave of coordinated raids across nine states.

The tanker with registration number MKA 960 XC was stopped on the Akoko/Lokoja Expressway in Ondo State on Friday, September 4, 2026. The driver allegedly refused to halt for NDLEA officers, abandoned the vehicle at a church compound in Ugbe Akoko, and fled into the bush.

According to NDLEA Director of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, a search of the tanker revealed a concealed compartment holding 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg. The drugs were hidden alongside legitimate fuel said to be headed for Jos in Plateau State.

Babafemi said the vehicle had previously evaded arrest and described the interception as a major win for the agency’s intelligence-driven operations against drug cartels.

Other Major Seizures Nationwide
The tanker bust was part of a larger crackdown in Lagos, Adamawa, Ondo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu.

• Lagos: NDLEA recovered 966,200 Tramadol 225mg tablets worth over N1.1 billion, hidden in thrift trousers inside 21 cartons shipped from Pakistan. Officers also seized 57.80kg of “Loud,” a synthetic cannabis strain valued at over N173 million, from a consignment from Singapore. At Tincan Port, 598.08kg of cannabis-laced cookies and gummies in 890 packs were intercepted from a 40-foot container.
• Adamawa: 864,000 opioid pills, mainly tramadol, were recovered from a house linked to a suspect on the run. 2kg of methamphetamine was also seized in Michika.
• Kogi: 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure was found on a bus traveling from Ondo to Jos along the Okene/Lokoja highway.
• Taraba: More than 109kg of controlled drugs including tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin were recovered from a vehicle coming from Onitsha to Yola.
• Kaduna: A truck carrying cement along the Zaria-Kano Expressway was intercepted and 1,179kg of skunk was found.
• Ekiti: A four-hectare cannabis farm was destroyed in Efon-Alaaye forest and 117kg of harvested skunk was recovered.
• Enugu: 40,590 capsules of tramadol were seized at Ugbema Junction.

Babafemi said the operations reflect NDLEA’s continued use of intelligence to break drug trafficking rings and stop illicit substances from reaching communities.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the officers for the arrests and urged them to maintain pressure on traffickers.

Marwa warned that those using new identities, legitimate businesses, or advanced concealment tactics “will continue to be tracked down.”