The Gombe State Police Command has returned a Toyota Highlander to its rightful owner, nearly five years after it was stolen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The vehicle was handed over on Friday, July 24, 2026, at the Police Command Headquarters in Gombe, following months of investigation and inter-state collaboration.
Police said the breakthrough came on June 8, 2026, when operatives of the State Intelligence Department (SID), working with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), intercepted the SUV during a routine verification exercise at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service Vehicle Licensing Office.
Further forensic and intelligence investigations confirmed the identity of the rightful owner.
Investigations revealed that the vehicle was stolen in September 2021 before being smuggled into the Republic of Niger in 2023. It later re-entered Nigeria through the Illela border in Sokoto State in October 2025.
The SUV was then taken to Kaduna State, where it was illegally sold, before the buyer brought it to Gombe for re-registration. The irregularity was detected during the registration process, leading to its recovery.
Police said investigations are ongoing to identify and prosecute members of the syndicate responsible for the theft and cross-border movement of the vehicle.
The owner, while receiving the recovered SUV, thanked the Gombe State Police Command, the SID and the FRSC for their professionalism and coordinated efforts that led to the recovery of the vehicle after five years.
