Gombe Police Return Stolen SUV to Owner After Five Years

The Gombe State Police Command has returned a Toyota Highlander SUV to its owner, Mrs. Cecilia A. Duru of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, nearly five years after it was stolen.

The vehicle was recovered on June 8, 2026, during a routine verification exercise at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service Vehicle Licensing Office, conducted by the State Intelligence Department and the Federal Road Safety Corps. Investigations revealed that the SUV was stolen on September 17, 2021, in Port Harcourt.

Following its theft, the vehicle was taken to the Republic of Niger in 2023, re-entered Nigeria through Illela, Sokoto State, in October 2025, and was sold in Kaduna State before being intercepted in Gombe. The police are continuing investigations into the theft and movement of the vehicle.

The handover occurred on July 24, 2026, with the police emphasizing their commitment to combating vehicle theft and urging the public to verify vehicle documents before purchasing used vehicles.