Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Gombe State have recovered a Toyota Highlander stolen in Port Harcourt nearly five years ago, following a routine vehicle verification exercise.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the breakthrough occurred on June 8, 2026, when officers of the State Intelligence Department, working alongside officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, detected irregularities during a vehicle data verification and upload exercise at the state’s licence office.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed in a statement on Saturday that the suspicious vehicle—a Toyota Highlander with registration number FH823PHC—was flagged during the process.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the vehicle belonged to one Mrs Cecilia A. Duru and was stolen on September 17, 2021, in Port Harcourt.
Abdullahi further explained that the police traced the movement of the vehicle beyond Nigeria’s borders, indicating a coordinated transnational trafficking network.
“Further investigation showed that the vehicle was moved to the Niger Republic in 2023 before it was brought back into Nigeria through Illela Local Government Area on October 17, 2025. It was subsequently sold in Kaduna State and later transported to Gombe for re-registration,” he said.
The spokesman noted that efforts were ongoing to apprehend all individuals connected with the theft and illegal movement of the vehicle across states and international borders.
He added that the command had intensified investigations and would provide updates as developments unfold.
The police also urged members of the public to exercise caution when purchasing vehicles, advising prospective buyers to verify ownership documents through appropriate authorities to avoid falling victim to fraud.
“The command remains committed to protecting lives and property and calls on citizens to carry out due diligence in all vehicle transactions,” Abdullahi stated.
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