Police Recover Stolen SUV, Return It to Owner Five Years Later

The Gombe State Police Command has returned a Toyota Highlander SUV to its rightful owner nearly five years after it was stolen in Rivers State.

The vehicle, belonging to Mrs. Cecilia A. Duru of Port Harcourt, was recovered during a routine vehicle verification exercise carried out by the State Intelligence Department in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service Vehicle Licensing Office.

According to the police, the SUV was intercepted on June 8, 2026, while it was undergoing re-registration. Investigations confirmed that the vehicle had been stolen in Port Harcourt on September 17, 2021.

Further findings revealed that after the theft, the vehicle was taken to the Republic of Niger in 2023 before re-entering Nigeria through Illela in Sokoto State in October 2025. It was later sold in Kaduna State and eventually brought to Gombe, where authorities identified it during the verification process.

Speaking during the handover ceremony on Friday, the police said investigations into the individuals responsible for the theft and the illegal movement of the vehicle are still ongoing.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to combating vehicle theft and other organized crimes through intelligence-driven policing and collaboration with relevant security agencies.

Police also advised members of the public to verify vehicle documents thoroughly before purchasing used vehicles and to report any suspicious transactions to the appropriate authorities.

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