The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has distanced itself from a fuel truck intercepted with 2,145 kilogrammes of cannabis in Ondo State.
The company said preliminary checks showed that the vehicle, with registration number MKA 960 XC, was neither owned by NNPC Ltd nor part of its official fleet or that of any of its authorised dealers.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency had intercepted the truck after discovering the cannabis concealed in a compartment of the vehicle.
NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, said the markings on the truck also did not match the company’s current official branding.
He added that the vehicle was not listed in NNPC’s asset database, prompting the company to investigate how its old branding came to be displayed on the truck.
“NNPC Ltd. takes any unauthorised use of its corporate identity seriously, particularly where such use may be associated with unlawful activity,” Odeh said.
The company said it was engaging the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners to obtain further information on the vehicle and establish its ownership and operation.
NNPC also pledged to cooperate with the NDLEA and other security agencies investigating the incident.
The company said it was reviewing its brand-protection and asset-monitoring procedures and could take legal action where necessary against unauthorised use of its corporate identity.
NNPC commended the NDLEA for intercepting the consignment and urged members of the public to verify the ownership or affiliation of vehicles claiming to belong to the company through official channels.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
