NNPC denies ownership of fuel truck carrying cannabis

Nigeria’s national oil company has distanced itself from a fuel truck intercepted with 2,145 kilograms of cannabis in Ondo State after the vehicle displayed an old NNPC logo.

NNPC Ltd. said preliminary checks showed that the truck, registered as MKA 960 XC, was neither company-owned nor part of the official fleet of NNPC or its authorized dealers. The company also said the branding on the vehicle did not match its current official identity and that the truck was not listed in its asset database.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted the vehicle and found the cannabis concealed in a compartment. NNPC said it was engaging the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners to establish how its former branding came to be used.

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NNPC Ltd. has taken note of media reports concerning the intercepted vehicle, which bears markings associated with the company.

The company said it takes unauthorized use of its corporate identity seriously, especially when that use may be linked to unlawful activity. It will cooperate with the NDLEA and other security agencies as they investigate who owned and operated the vehicle and how the markings appeared on it.

NNPC said it was reviewing its brand-protection and asset-monitoring procedures and could take legal action where warranted. It also urged the public and authorities to verify claims that vehicles belong to NNPC through official channels, and commended the NDLEA for its work against drug trafficking.

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The company is also reviewing its brand-protection and asset-monitoring protocols and will take appropriate steps, including legal action where warranted, against any unauthorised use of its corporate identity.