The Bauchi State Police Command has launched an investigation after 387 blocks of suspected cannabis sativa were discovered following a car accident in Toro Local Government Area of the state.
Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, disclosed this on Friday, explaining that the substances were recovered at the scene of a collision involving two Toyota Corolla cars in Wom Village on October 4, 2025.
According to police spokesman Ahmed 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 car, also a white Toyota Corolla with registration number GWA-155GW, was driven by an unidentified individual heading from Jos, Plateau State, to 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 noted that all occupants sustained injuries and were taken to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi. The District Head suffered a leg fracture and is receiving treatment, while others have 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 sent to the State Investigation Department for forensic analysis, after which the case will be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further action.
Aliyu said efforts are underway to apprehend the unidentified driver who fled the scene and urged residents to provide any information that could aid in his arrest.
According to NDLEA data, Bauchi ranks among the top northern states for cannabis seizures between 2022 and 2024, with frequent interceptions along the Jos–Bauchi–Gombe corridor — a major smuggling route linking the Middle Belt to the North-East.
In 2024, NDLEA operatives in Bauchi seized over 2,000 kilograms of cannabis and arrested 145 suspects for drug-related offences. Similar operations have been recorded in Plateau, Gombe, and Taraba states, where traffickers often hide drugs in private vehicles or commercial trucks disguised as agricultural carriers.