On Tuesday, November 26, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, announced the interception of 21 high-value vehicles stolen from Canada, with an estimated worth of several billion naira.
The seized vehicles include luxury models such as three 2021 Toyota Highlanders, a Mercedes-Benz G550, a Range Rover Sport, a Mercedes-AMG GT, a Lamborghini Huracan, a 2019 Lamborghini model, a Rolls Royce, and two Range Rovers (2023 and 2018 models), among others.
Adeniyi also revealed the confiscation of arms and ammunition hidden inside a commercial bus traveling from Aba, Abia State, to Lagos.
Speaking to journalists during the handover of the intercepted vehicles, Adeniyi highlighted that West Africa has become a significant hub in the global stolen vehicle trade, with Nigeria at the center of the issue. He noted that the vehicles were intercepted in various locations, including Lekki, Tin-Can Island in Lagos, and Onne Port in Rivers State.
According to INTERPOL reports, the illicit trade in stolen vehicles spans regions from Europe and North America to South America and Australia. Adeniyi emphasized the challenges Nigeria faces, referencing National Bureau of Statistics data that shows only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, underscoring the complexity of this criminal network.
“The growing influx of stolen vehicles into our region poses a serious threat, undermining our legitimate automotive market and putting a strain on our security infrastructure,” Adeniyi stated.
He also reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to intensifying efforts to dismantle vehicle trafficking syndicates and curb the impact of this illicit trade on Nigeria’s economy and security.
