By Florencemary Nwabueze
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has formally handed over a collection of stolen exotic vehicles to the Canadian government, marking a significant victory in an international crackdown on auto theft syndicates.
According to a statement released on Sunday, it was noted that the handover ceremony occurred on Monday, 4 May 2026, at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos. The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, officially received the recovered vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka.
The recovery operation was the result of months of intelligence sharing and operational collaboration between the NCS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Canadian authorities had traced a number of stolen high-end vehicles believed to have been smuggled into Nigeria via international shipping channels.
According to an internal Customs document dated 5 May 2026, the intercepted vehicles include a 2019 Lexus RX350, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, a 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra. All were confirmed to have been stolen and illegally exported before ending up in Nigeria.
Speaking shortly after the handover, Comptroller Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles—a Toyota Tacoma—was initially concealed inside a container carrying other vehicles and had not yet exited Customs control before intelligence from Canada triggered immediate intervention.
“What looked like a routine cargo movement quickly became an international criminal investigation. Once intelligence reached us, we placed the consignment under enforcement watch and secured the vehicle pending confirmation from Canadian authorities,” Comptroller Onyeka said.
He explained that the Service deliberately delayed the final release until Canadian government officials arrived in person to complete identification and recovery procedures.
“We had people who wanted to step in on behalf of others, but this was too sensitive. We insisted the handover must be directly to the Canadian government to preserve the integrity of the process,” he added.
Comptroller Onyeka reiterated that the operation signals the Nigeria Customs Service’s growing capability in fighting transnational vehicle theft syndicates that exploit global shipping routes.
He further stated that the recovery highlights ongoing cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling, and maritime enforcement—particularly in tackling organized cross-border crimes involving stolen assets and illicit trade.