By Ado Oyeyemi
The Gombe State Police Command has returned a Toyota Highlander SUV stolen in Rivers State nearly five years ago to its rightful owner after the vehicle was recovered during a routine verification exercise.
The vehicle was formally handed over on Friday to its owner, Mrs Cecilia A. Duru of Port Harcourt, following an investigation conducted by operatives of the State Intelligence Department.
Police disclosed that the SUV was intercepted on June 8, 2026, during a joint operation involving the State Intelligence Department and the Federal Road Safety Corps at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service Vehicle Licensing Office.
According to the command, the vehicle was flagged during a routine verification of records while it was undergoing re registration.
Investigations later confirmed that the Toyota Highlander belonged to Mrs Duru and had been stolen in Port Harcourt on September 17, 2021.
Police further revealed that after the theft, the vehicle was allegedly taken to the Republic of Niger in 2023 before it re entered Nigeria through Illela in Sokoto State in October 2025.
The command said the SUV was subsequently sold in Kaduna State and later brought to Gombe, where it was intercepted while the new registration process was underway.
The police added that investigations are continuing to identify those responsible for the theft and trace everyone involved in the movement of the vehicle across different locations.
While presenting the recovered vehicle to its owner, the command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling vehicle theft and other organised crimes through intelligence driven policing and collaboration with relevant security agencies.
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It also advised members of the public to verify ownership documents thoroughly before purchasing used vehicles and to report suspicious transactions to security agencies without delay.
