Police Recover Vehicle Stolen In Rivers 5 Years Ago In Gombe

The Gombe State Police Command has recovered a Toyota Highlander that was stolen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, nearly five years ago, following a routine vehicle verification exercise.

According to the police, officers of the State Intelligence Department (SID), working alongside officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), uncovered the vehicle on June 8, 2026, during a routine data verification and upload exercise at the driver’s licence office of the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service.

The vehicle, a Toyota Highlander bearing registration number FH823-PHC, was flagged as suspicious during the verification process.

Further checks revealed that it belonged to Mrs. Cecilia Duru of Rumuodumaya, Port Harcourt, and had been reported stolen on September 17, 2021.

Police investigations traced the vehicle’s movement beyond Nigeria’s borders, indicating that it was taken to the Niger Republic in 2023.

Authorities said the vehicle later re-entered Nigeria through Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State on October 17, 2025.

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Investigators also established that the vehicle was sold in Kaduna State sometime in 2025, before being transported to Gombe State, where attempts were being made to re-register it when it was detected.

The command said investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those involved in the theft and subsequent movement and sale of the vehicle.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said the command remains committed to protecting lives and property and urged members of the public to exercise caution when purchasing vehicles.

He advised prospective buyers to verify ownership documents and vehicle records through the appropriate authorities to avoid acquiring stolen vehicles.