In a major breakthrough against transnational vehicle theft, the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with INTERPOL, has recovered several high-end vehicles stolen in Nigeria and smuggled across borders to Ghana and Niger Republic.
According to a statement released by the Force Headquarters on Sunday, a 2020 Toyota Prado SUV — stolen during a robbery in Abuja and owned by a federal government agency — was successfully traced to Accra, Ghana. Three suspects were apprehended and charged in court in Accra, and the vehicle has since been returned to Nigeria and handed back to the agency.
In a separate but related operation, INTERPOL operatives also recovered a 2018 Toyota Hilux belonging to another government agency. The vehicle, which was stolen in Utako, Abuja, in October 2024, was tracked down in Agadez, Niger Republic, and handed over at the Ilela/Konni border post.
Authorities confirmed that efforts are ongoing to recover two additional stolen vehicles — a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV and a Toyota Prado — both taken in May 2025 and recently located in Niamey, Niger Republic.
The Nigeria Police have vowed to intensify cross-border intelligence sharing and enforcement to disrupt international auto theft syndicates targeting Nigeria.