NNPC Disowns Truck Seized With 2,145kg Cannabis in Ondo, Backs NDLEA Probe
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has disowned a truck intercepted with 2,145 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis in Ondo State, saying the vehicle is neither owned by the company nor part of its official fleet or that of its authorised dealers.
The clarification was contained in a public statement issued by NNPC Ltd.’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, on September 7, 2026, following media reports linking the intercepted truck to the national oil company because of markings displayed on the vehicle.
NNPC Ltd. commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its vigilance and professionalism in intercepting the vehicle, while expressing support for a full investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the company, preliminary checks showed that the vehicle, with registration number MKA 960 XC, does not belong to NNPC Ltd. and is not listed as part of the official fleet of the company or any of its authorised dealers.
The company also said the logo displayed on the truck was inconsistent with its current official branding, while the vehicle could not be found in its asset database.
“NNPC Ltd. takes any unauthorised use of its corporate identity seriously, particularly where such use may be associated with unlawful activity,” the statement said.
The national oil company disclosed that it was engaging the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to obtain further information and establish the circumstances surrounding the use of its old branding on the vehicle.
NNPC Ltd. said it remained committed to protecting the integrity of its corporate identity and would not tolerate the unauthorised use of its name, trademarks or other corporate identifiers.
The company further pledged to cooperate fully with the NDLEA and other relevant security agencies investigating the incident.
“NNPC Ltd. will continue to cooperate fully with the NDLEA and other relevant security agencies and supports a full and thorough investigation to establish all the facts surrounding the incident,” it said.
The company said the investigation should establish the ownership and operation of the truck, as well as how NNPC Ltd. markings came to be displayed on the vehicle.
NNPC Ltd. also disclosed that it was reviewing its brand-protection and asset-monitoring protocols in response to the incident.
It said appropriate measures, including legal action where warranted, would be taken against individuals or entities found to have unlawfully used its corporate identity.
The company urged members of the public and relevant authorities to verify the ownership or affiliation of vehicles claiming to belong to NNPC Ltd. through appropriate official channels.
NNPC Ltd. again commended the NDLEA for its “vigilance and sustained efforts in combating illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria,” assuring the agency of its full support and necessary cooperation to ensure that the facts surrounding the intercepted truck are conclusively established.
