Police probe suspected cannabis after road accident in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has commenced an investigation following the discovery of 387 blocks of suspected cannabis sativa during a motor vehicle accident in Toro Local Government Area of the state.

This was disclosed on Friday by the Command’s Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, who said the dried leaves were found at the scene of a crash involving two Toyota Corolla vehicles in Wom Village on October 4, 2025.

According to Wakil, “The incident involved two Toyota Corolla vehicles. Initial reports from eyewitnesses and preliminary investigations revealed that the first vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla with registration number ABC-459LF, was operated by Ali Muhammad, a 45-year-old resident of Nabardo Village.

“He was conveying the District Head of Nabardo, Suleiman Bala Suleiman, aged 65, and his family members from Bauchi Metropolis to Nabardo Village.”

He added that the second vehicle, also a white Toyota Corolla with registration number GWA-155GW, was driven by an unidentified individual travelling from Jos, Plateau State, towards Bauchi.

“It is reported that this driver attempted to overtake other vehicles without adequate caution, resulting in a head-on collision with the first

vehicle,” he said.

Aliyu stated that all occupants of both vehicles sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for medical attention.

He noted that the District Head sustained a leg fracture and is currently receiving treatment, while some other victims have since been discharged.

In the aftermath of the incident, during a search at the scene, detectives recovered several items from the damaged Toyota Corolla (Abuja GWA-155GW), including 387 blocks of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, a black travel bag containing personal effects, two polythene bags with personal items, one black Tecno phone without a SIM card, a national driver’s licence, and vehicle documents,” he stated.

He added that the recovered exhibits have been forwarded to the State Investigation Department for further forensic analysis, after which the case will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further action.

Aliyu further noted that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the unidentified driver responsible for the collision, urging members of the public with useful information about the suspect to come forward and assist the police.

Online reports that data from the NDLEA notes that Bauchi ranked among the top northern states for cannabis seizures between 2022 and 2024, with multiple interceptions along the Jos–Bauchi–Gombe corridor, a known smuggling route linking the Middle Belt to the North-East.

In 2024, NDLEA operatives in Bauchi State seized more than 2,000 kilograms of cannabis and arrested 145 suspects for various drug-related offences.

Similar operations have been carried out in neighbouring Plateau, Gombe, and Taraba states, where cannabis is often transported in private vehicles, hidden compartments, or commercial trucks disguised as carrying agricultural goods.

Law enforcement agencies have noted that some drug traffickers attempt to evade detection by using non-commercial vehicles and remote roads.