Operatives of the Gombe State Police Command have recovered a Toyota Highlander reported stolen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, five years ago.
The vehicle was recovered on June 8, 2026, during a routine operation involving officers from the State Intelligence Department and the Federal Road Safety Corps at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service’s vehicle licensing office.
According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, the joint team flagged the Toyota Highlander, bearing registration number FH823PHC, during a standard vehicle verification and data upload exercise.
Preliminary investigations identified the owner as Cecilia A. Duru of Akwaka Lane, Rumuodumaya, Port Harcourt. Police records showed the vehicle was reported stolen on September 17, 2021.
Further investigations revealed that the sport utility vehicle was taken to the Niger Republic in 2023 before returning to Nigeria through Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State on October 17, 2025.
The vehicle was later sold in Kaduna State before being moved to Gombe State for re-registration, prompting its detection during the verification process.
The police have launched a full investigation to identify and arrest those involved in the theft and illegal movement of the vehicle.
“Investigation is ongoing, as efforts are being intensified to identify and apprehend those involved,” Abdullahi said in a statement issued on June 20, 2026.
The command urged members of the public to exercise caution when purchasing vehicles by verifying ownership documents and official vehicle records through the appropriate authorities before completing any transaction.