The Enugu State Police Command has recorded another major breakthrough in its sustained crackdown on vehicle theft and related crimes with the recovery of two vehicles stolen in separate incidents in Imo State, including one snatched during an armed robbery eight years ago, and the arrest of three suspects.
According to an official signed statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, one of the recovered vehicles was a commercial minibus recently hijacked in Okigwe, while the other was a gold-coloured Lexus RX 300 SUV stolen during an armed robbery in Owerri in 2018.
The statement disclosed that on June 25, 2026, operatives of the Command’s Aninri Police Division acted on credible intelligence following a report that a commercial minibus with registration number AKL 969 AH had been snatched from its driver a day earlier in Okigwe, Imo State. The operatives traced the vehicle to Onunweke, Ndeaboh, in Aninri Local Government Area, where the suspects abandoned it and fled upon sighting the police. The vehicle was successfully recovered, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
In a separate operation conducted on June 21, 2026, a complainant reported to the Enugu Metro Area Command that he had purchased a gold-coloured Lexus RX 300 SUV bearing registration number EZA 323 NF in Enugu. A verification conducted by the Federal Road Safety Corps revealed that the vehicle had been flagged as stolen.
Further investigations by police operatives confirmed that the SUV had been stolen during an armed robbery incident in Owerri, Imo State, in 2018. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of three suspects identified as Chukwudi Ubani, who allegedly sold the vehicle, Uchenna Obaji, and Nnamene Chukwudi, all residents of Enugu State.
The Police Command stated that both the recovered vehicles and the arrested suspects will be handed over to the Imo State Police Command for further and conclusive investigation.
Commending the operatives for the successful operations, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, mspsp, urged members of the public to continue supporting the police by providing credible and timely information capable of aiding crime prevention and detection.
The Commissioner also advised prospective buyers of used vehicles to verify ownership documents and the status of vehicles with the appropriate authorities before purchase to avoid acquiring stolen property.
He further encouraged vehicle owners to register their vehicles with the relevant licensing authorities and the Nigeria Police Force Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), noting that the system has continued to enhance the prompt detection and recovery of stolen vehicles, as demonstrated by the successful recovery of the Lexus RX 300 SUV.
