₦airaland Forum

PRESS RELEASE

NIGERIA POLICE RECOVERS TWO VEHICLES STOLEN FROM THE NETHERLANDS

The Nigeria Police Force has achieved a major breakthrough in the fight against transnational organized crime with the recovery of two high-end vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and illegally shipped into Nigeria.

Operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, in a coordinated operation with INTERPOL NCB The Hague, traced and recovered the vehicles, a Toyota C-HR (2020 model) and a Toyota RAV4 (2019 model), from separate locations in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States. Investigations revealed that the vehicles were stolen from Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland and subsequently shipped to Nigeria through the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, arriving Apapa, Lagos, in late 2023.

Following the recovery, the Nigeria Police Force, through INTERPOL NCB Abuja, instituted civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Upon the conclusion of due legal processes, the Court granted a final forfeiture order in favour of the Government of the Netherlands through the vehicles’ insurance company, thereby facilitating their lawful repatriation.

In furtherance of this process, the Nigeria Police Force INTERPOL team today, 20th October 2025, formally handed over the recovered vehicles to representatives of the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, marking the successful conclusion of the cross-border recovery and restitution effort.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, commended the operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja for their professionalism and the effective synergy with international partners, particularly INTERPOL NCB The Hague. He noted that the successful recovery and repatriation of the vehicles reflect the Force’s firm commitment to global law enforcement cooperation and to ensuring that criminal networks involved in cross-border vehicle theft and smuggling are denied the proceeds of their crimes.

The Nigeria Police Force remains dedicated to intensifying intelligence-led policing and strengthening international collaborations aimed at tackling all forms of transnational organized crime.

CSP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja.

20th October, 2025

DONFRANSKID:
what of the vehicle that was stolen from police headquarters in Abuja?

Nukilia:
They should show the face of the dealer...

Sensitivity:
"Direct Belgium" as the car dealers would say

DolapoX:
Na to just dey careful remain for this country, you fit buy toothbrush make dem later catch you say na stolen products lol

Karlovich:
Druggie's criminal syndicate keeps expanding, spits.

Nukilia:
They should show the face of the dealer...

TechCapon:
Technology advancement is the main reason this is possible

Manny21:
Taking credit for what they are not entitled to

ajalawole:
50% of most cars imported are stolen from Europe. You can park your car by the roadside in Europe before you come out that car in already at the port waiting for shipment. No be all cars be accidental cars or bulgum used.

DONFRANSKID:
what of the vehicle that was stolen from police headquarters in Abuja?