WATCH: NDLEA catches fuel tanker hiding over 2 tonnes of cannabis inside petrol compartment

• NDLEA intercepted a fuel tanker carrying 2,145kg of cannabis hidden inside a secret compartment in Ondo State.

• The tanker driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle at a church premises and escaped into a bush.

• NDLEA also arrested a suspected drug kingpin accused of trying to send 1.2kg of cocaine to Saudi Arabia.

• The agency recorded major drug seizures across Lagos, Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Ekiti and other states.

NDLEA catches fuel tanker hiding over 2 tonnes of cannabis inside petrol compartmentWhile many Nigerians are used to worrying about fuel prices, long queues at filling stations and the fear of fuel scarcity, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered another surprising problem involving a fuel tanker.

The agency said it intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker allegedly carrying 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg hidden inside a specially built compartment.

According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the tanker was stopped along the Akoko/Lokoja expressway in Ondo State on Friday during one of the agency’s operations.

The driver reportedly abandoned the tanker at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and escaped into a nearby bush after noticing NDLEA officers were closing in.

When officers searched the vehicle, they discovered that the tanker had a false compartment where the cannabis was hidden alongside its legal fuel cargo.

“A search of the tanker revealed a false compartment concealing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg alongside its legitimate fuel cargo destined for Jos, Plateau state,” Babafemi said.

The NDLEA described the discovery as one of the biggest and most unusual drug seizures recorded during the week.

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In another operation, NDLEA officers arrested a 34-year-old man identified as Dunu Ebubechukwu, who the agency accused of being behind a planned cocaine shipment to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Babafemi said the suspect was arrested at Trade Fair Market in the Ojo area of Lagos while pretending to be a herbal tea businessman.

The agency said the suspect was allegedly connected to a plan to send 1.2kg of cocaine hidden inside phone chargers abroad.

According to Babafemi, Ebubechukwu admitted involvement in previous drug shipments and allegedly discarded his phone SIM card after learning that his latest consignment had been intercepted.

The NDLEA spokesperson also revealed that the suspect had previously been arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after ingesting 900 grams of cocaine and 130 grams of heroin while attempting to travel to Austria.

He was later convicted and sentenced to five years in prison before allegedly returning to the illegal drug trade.

The agency also announced the seizure of 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg worth over ₦1.1 billion at the Lagos airport.

The drugs were reportedly concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton shipment from Pakistan.

NDLEA officers also recovered 57.80kg of loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, hidden inside cartons of disposable hand gloves in a shipment from Singapore.

The agency said the consignment had remained unclaimed for weeks before a joint inspection involving NDLEA officers, Customs officials and other security agencies uncovered the drugs.

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The NDLEA said its operations continued across several states, leading to more arrests and drug recoveries.

At Tincan Port in Lagos, three suspects; Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi, and Joseph Moji, were arrested over the seizure of 842.54kg of cannabis-infused cookies.

Another 598.08kg of similar cannabis-laced cookies and gummies were also intercepted in a 40-foot container linked to the suspects.

In another Lagos operation, NDLEA officers recovered 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350 grams of cocaine, more than 100kg of tramadol, 9.7 litres of codeine syrup and 4kg of rohypnol at Gbaji area.

Two suspects, Damilare Francis and Emeh Emmanuel, were also arrested with 720kg of cannabis in Agbara.

In Kogi State, three suspects: Saidu Mustapha, Zaharadeen Salisu and AbdulSalam Abdullahi, were arrested with 636kg of cannabis allegedly hidden inside chicken manure in a bus travelling from Owo, Ondo State, to Jos, Plateau State.

The agency also reported recovering 864,000 tramadol pills in Adamawa from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank.

In Taraba, NDLEA officers arrested 58-year-old Kelechi Unachukwu with over 109kg of various controlled medicines, including tramadol, diazepam and pregabalin.

A truck carrying cement bags was also intercepted along the Zaria-Kano expressway in Kaduna, where officers recovered 1,179kg of skunk.

In Ekiti, two suspects; Chuks Alex and Asafa Adekunle, were arrested after NDLEA discovered and destroyed a four-hectare cannabis farm in Efon-Alaaye forest.

The agency said it recovered 117kg of harvested cannabis from the farm.

The NDLEA also confirmed the arrest of a 20-year-old man, Obinna David, in Enugu with 40,590 capsules of tramadol.

The agency’s latest seizures come as it continues its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, including those using unusual methods such as fuel tankers, food items and imported goods to move illegal substances.