The Nigeria Police Force has recovered several stolen vehicles that were taken across borders into neighbouring West African countries, including Ghana and Niger Republic.
This was made known in a statement released on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi. He said the successful recovery of the vehicles was possible through international teamwork, especially with the help of INTERPOL.
According to the police, officers from the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja worked with their counterparts in Accra, Ghana, to trace and recover a stolen Toyota Prado (2020 model). The vehicle belonged to a federal government agency in Nigeria and was taken during a robbery in Abuja.
“Three suspects were arrested in Ghana and later taken to court in Accra,” Adejobi said. The recovered Prado has since been returned to Nigeria and handed back to the agency it belongs to.
In a separate case, another government-owned vehicle, a Toyota Hilux (2018 model), was also recovered. It was stolen from a staff member in the Utako District of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on October 18, 2024.
With help from INTERPOL NCB in Niamey, Niger Republic, the police traced the Hilux to Agadez, a city in Niger. The vehicle was then handed over to a senior official of the agency at the Nigeria–Niger border in Ilela/Konni.
“In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force is currently finalising efforts to recover and repatriate two additional vehicles – a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV and a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUV – stolen in Abuja in May 2025 and later sold in Niamey, Niger Republic,” the statement added.
The police have asked Nigerians to register their vehicles on the Police Electronic Platforms and to take safety steps that could help the police recover stolen cars faster.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the officers involved for their hard work and professionalism. He said the police would continue working with other countries to stop cross-border crimes.
He also thanked INTERPOL offices in Accra and Niamey, as well as the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, for helping to recover and return the vehicles.
