Police Recover and Return Stolen Toyota Highlander to Owner After Nearly Five Years

The Gombe State Police Command has returned a Toyota Highlander to its owner, Mrs Cecilia Duru of Port Harcourt, nearly five years after it was stolen in Rivers State. Police said operatives of the State Intelligence Department recovered the SUV on June 8, 2026, during a vehicle-data verification exercise at the Gombe vehicle licensing office. Discrepancies in its registration documents reportedly triggered the investigation. Investigators traced the vehicle’s movement from Rivers State to the Republic of Niger, where it was allegedly smuggled in 2023. It reportedly re-entered Nigeria through the Illela border in Sokoto State in October 2025, was sold in Kaduna, and was later taken to Gombe for re-registration. The police said they are working to identify and prosecute those behind the theft and illegal cross-border movement of the vehicle. Residents and prospective buyers were advised to verify vehicle documents before completing purchases.

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