The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has distanced itself from a truck seized in Ondo State with 2,145kg of cannabis, saying the vehicle is neither part of its fleet nor operated by any of its authorised dealers.
The clarification followed reports linking the truck to the national oil company after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted it and discovered the illicit substance concealed in a compartment of the vehicle.
NNPC Ltd, in a statement issued on Monday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, said its preliminary investigation showed that the vehicle, marked MKA 960 XC, was not listed among its assets or official vehicles.
The company also raised questions over the use of its identity on the truck, noting that the logo displayed on the vehicle differed from NNPC’s current corporate branding.
According to the company, it has commenced engagement with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners to establish how the vehicle came to bear its old branding and determine the circumstances surrounding its operation.
NNPC warned that it would not tolerate the unauthorised use of its corporate identity, particularly when such branding is linked to criminal activities. It said it was reviewing its brand-protection and asset-monitoring systems and would take legal action where necessary.
The oil company said it was ready to assist the NDLEA and other relevant security agencies in their investigation, including efforts to establish the ownership and operation of the truck and how the disputed markings came to be placed on it.
NNPC commended the NDLEA for the interception and reaffirmed its support for the agency’s campaign against drug trafficking, urging the public and relevant authorities to verify claims of affiliation with the company through official channels.