The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has disowned a 20,000-litre fuel tanker seized with 2,145 kilogrammes of cannabis in Ondo State, noting that the vehicle is neither owned by the company nor part of its authorised fleet.
The clarification follows the interception of the tanker by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who reportedly discovered a concealed compartment in the vehicle containing the illicit drug.
NNPC Ltd. said preliminary checks showed that the tanker, with registration number MKA 960 XC, was not listed in the company’s asset database, while the logo displayed on the vehicle was inconsistent with its current official branding.
In a statement on Monday, the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, said NNPC had taken note of media reports concerning the intercepted vehicle, particularly its markings which appeared to associate it with the company.
Odeh explained that preliminary verification established that the tanker was neither owned by NNPC Ltd. nor part of the company’s official fleet or that of any of its authorised dealers.
He added that NNPC was engaging the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to obtain further information on the vehicle and determine the circumstances surrounding the use of the company’s old branding.
According to him, the company considers the unauthorised use of its corporate identity a serious matter, particularly where its name, logo or other identifiers may be linked to unlawful activities.
NNPC Ltd. said it would continue to cooperate with the NDLEA and other relevant security agencies in the ongoing investigation to establish the ownership and operation of the tanker, as well as determine how NNPC markings came to be displayed on the vehicle.
The company also disclosed that it was reviewing its brand-protection and asset-monitoring protocols to prevent the misuse of its corporate identity, adding that it would take appropriate legal action where necessary against individuals or entities found to have used its branding without authorisation.
NNPC urged members of the public and relevant authorities to verify the ownership or affiliation of vehicles claiming to belong to the company through appropriate official channels.
The company commended the NDLEA for its vigilance and sustained efforts in combating illicit drug trafficking, assuring the agency of its full cooperation as investigations into the cannabis seizure continue.