Odita Sunday 
INTERPOL Recovers, Repatriates Stolen Lexus, Toyota Hilux from Burkina Faso
By Odita Sunday
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja, has recovered and repatriated two vehicles stolen in Abuja and trafficked to Burkina Faso, in a major breakthrough against a cross-border vehicle theft syndicate operating across Nigeria and the Sahel region.
The recovered vehicles, a 2018 Lexus SUV and a 2025 Toyota Hilux, were formally handed over to their owners after a coordinated international operation involving Nigerian and Burkinabe authorities.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the operation was carried out under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
The police said the Lexus SUV was snatched at gunpoint on August 3, 2025, while the Toyota Hilux was stolen in a similar manner on February 20, 2026, both in Abuja.
Following requests for assistance from the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Board, INTERPOL NCB Abuja activated its cooperation channels with INTERPOL NCB Ouagadougou to trace the stolen vehicles.
The statement said sustained collaboration between the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso and INTERPOL NCB Ouagadougou led to the successful tracing, recovery and repatriation of the vehicles to Nigeria.
The vehicles have since been handed over to representatives of the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and the FCT Primary Health Care Board.
Police also disclosed that one suspect, identified as Issoufou Nagimou, was arrested during the operation and has been arraigned before the High Court of Burkina Faso.
The Force said the successful operation underscores its commitment to strengthening international police cooperation through INTERPOL and dismantling transnational criminal networks involved in cross-border vehicle trafficking.
It reaffirmed its resolve to continue working with international law enforcement partners to combat organized crime and protect lives and property across Nigeria.
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