The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has recovered a Toyota Camry belonging to a serving police officer nearly three years after it was stolen, following the discovery of irregularities during a routine vehicle licence application in Anambra State.
A statement issued by FRSC said the breakthrough was made on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Nnewi Motor Licensing Authority, MLA, office when an FRSC officer attached to the National Vehicle Identification Scheme, NVIS, detected inconsistencies while verifying the vehicle’s details on the agency’s database.
According to the FRSC, a further check on the NVIS portal revealed that the vehicle already had an existing registration profile, prompting an immediate investigation.
FRSC contacted the registered owner, Mr. Ndem John Okori, a serving police officer attached to the 55 Police Mobile Force Squadron in Aba, who confirmed that the Toyota Camry had been stolen from his residence in Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, on June 23, 2023, during a heavy downpour.
He also disclosed that although he reported the theft to the police at the time, the vehicle had not been recovered.
Following the confirmation, the FRSC alerted the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force, Nnewi Area Command, who immediately deployed operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau, SIB, to investigate the case.
During the investigation, the vehicle registration agent who submitted the application documents was invited for questioning.
Acting on intelligence gathered, police operatives later arrested the applicant who had sought to obtain proof of ownership for the vehicle when he arrived to collect the processed documents.
“The suspect thereafter led the Police team and FRSC officials to his residence, where the suspected stolen Toyota Camry was recovered at about 1706HRS on 4 August 2026,” the statement said.
The recovered vehicle has been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Area Command, Nnewi, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Further checks showed that the vehicle was bearing registration number FGG851AH, a number plate that does not exist in the FRSC’s National Vehicle Identification Scheme database, exposing an attempt to conceal the vehicle’s identity through the use of an unauthorised registration number.
The recovered vehicle was identified with the following details: original registration number AKD291CZ, Toyota Camry saloon, gold in colour, chassis number JT2BG22K0X0264403, and engine number 5S0793688.
Reacting to the development, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, commended the vigilance, professionalism and intelligence displayed by the FRSC personnel whose efforts led to the recovery.
He said the feat further demonstrates the strategic importance of the National Vehicle Identification Scheme in combating vehicle theft, detecting fraudulent vehicle documentation, enhancing national security and supporting law enforcement agencies in tracking stolen vehicles across the country.
The Corps Marshal also urged Nigerians to verify the status of vehicles before purchasing them and ensure that all vehicle registration and ownership transactions are carried out through legitimate channels.
He reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to strengthening collaboration with other security agencies and leveraging technology to tackle vehicle theft and the use of fake registration records across the country.
Three years after, FRSC recovers police officer’s stolen car in Anambra