The Nigeria Police Force has recovered two vehicles stolen at gunpoint in Abuja. These vehicles were trafficked to Burkina Faso by a group involved in cross-border vehicle theft.
Police spokesperson Ani Iniedu shared this news in a statement on Monday. He said the operation was led by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja.
Mr Iniedu, who is a chief superintendent of police, named the recovered vehicles. They include a 2018 Lexus SUV and a 2025 Toyota Hilux. He mentioned that these vehicles belong to the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Board.
According to him, the Lexus SUV was stolen on 3 August 2025, and the Toyota Hilux was taken on 20 February. The police spokesperson said INTERPOL NCB Abuja began international recovery efforts after getting requests for help from the vehicle owners.
The operation was a joint effort between INTERPOL NCB Abuja and their team in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. They also had support from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, along with the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso.
The police said the vehicles were traced, recovered, and brought back to Nigeria. They were then handed over to representatives of the two government offices. Mr Iniedu also mentioned that one suspect was arrested during the operation.
“In the course of the operation, one suspect, Issoufou Nagimou, was arrested and has been charged before the High Court of Burkina Faso,” he stated.
The spokesperson emphasized the police’s dedication to improving international cooperation through INTERPOL. They aim to dismantle criminal networks involved in cross-border vehicle trafficking in the region.
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