INTERPOL, police recover stolen vehicles trafficked to Burkina Faso, arrest suspect

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By Kingsley Omonobi

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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it has recovered two vehicles stolen in separate armed robbery incidents in Abuja and trafficked to Burkina Faso, following a joint operation involving INTERPOL and international law enforcement partners.

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The recovered vehicles—a 2018 Lexus SUV and a 2025 Toyota Hilux—were traced and returned to Nigeria through the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja.

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Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Iniedu, said in a statement that the Lexus SUV was stolen on August 3, 2025, while the Toyota Hilux was taken during another armed robbery on February 20, 2026.

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According to the statement, the recovery followed separate requests for assistance from the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Board.

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The statement said INTERPOL NCB Abuja activated its international cooperation channels with INTERPOL NCB Ouagadougou, leading to the tracing and recovery of the vehicles.

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It added that the operation was coordinated with the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso, and relevant law enforcement authorities in Ouagadougou.

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The recovered 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.

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Police also said a suspect, identified as Issoufou Nagimou, was arrested in connection with the case and has been charged before the High Court of Burkina Faso over his alleged involvement in the cross-border trafficking of the vehicles.

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The Force said the operation highlights the value of international cooperation and intelligence sharing in tackling transnational crime.

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It reaffirmed its commitment to working with INTERPOL and other international partners to combat cross-border vehicle trafficking and other forms of organised crime.

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