RismadarVoice Reporters, July 25, 2026
The Gombe State Police Command has returned a Toyota Highlander SUV stolen nearly five years ago in Rivers State to its rightful owner after recovering the vehicle during a routine verification exercise.
The vehicle was handed over on Friday to Mrs Cecilia A. Duru of Port Harcourt following investigations conducted by operatives of the State Intelligence Department (SID).
According to the police, the SUV was recovered on June 8, 2026, during a joint operation involving the State Intelligence Department and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service Vehicle Licensing Office.
The command explained that the vehicle was intercepted while undergoing a routine data verification process for re-registration.
Investigations confirmed that the Toyota Highlander belonged to Mrs Duru and had been stolen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on September 17, 2021.
Further findings revealed that after the theft, the vehicle was taken to the Republic of Niger in 2023 before being brought back into Nigeria through Illela, Sokoto State, in October 2025. It was subsequently sold in Kaduna State and later moved to Gombe for re-registration, where security operatives detected discrepancies and recovered it.
The police said investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the theft and the illegal movement of the vehicle across multiple locations and international borders.
Speaking during the handover, the command reaffirmed its commitment to combating vehicle theft and other organised crimes through intelligence-led policing and stronger collaboration with relevant security agencies.
The police also advised members of the public to thoroughly verify vehicle ownership and documentation before purchasing used vehicles and to promptly report suspicious transactions to law enforcement authorities.
