By Peace Udugba
In a demonstration of strengthened international cooperation and growing confidence in Nigeria’s cargo intelligence system, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over a series of intercepted luxury vehicles stolen from Canada.
The formal handover took place on Monday, 4 May 2026, at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, where the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, received the recovered vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka.
The operation followed months of intelligence sharing and coordinated efforts between the NCS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), after Canadian authorities tracked several stolen high-end vehicles suspected to have been shipped to Nigeria through international cargo routes.
According to internal Customs documents dated 5 May 2026, the recovered vehicles include a 2019 Lexus RX350, 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, 2023 Range Rover, 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra. All were confirmed stolen and illegally exported before being traced to Nigeria.
Speaking during the handover at the Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was discovered concealed inside a container carrying other automobiles. The container had not yet cleared Customs control when intelligence from Canadian authorities prompted immediate intervention.
He explained that upon receiving the alert and supporting shipping documentation through official channels, Customs officers quickly placed the consignment under surveillance, isolated the suspicious container, and secured the vehicle under enforcement custody pending verification.
“What initially appeared to be routine cargo movement turned into an international criminal investigation. Once we received intelligence, we placed the consignment under close watch and secured the vehicle pending confirmation from Canadian authorities,” Onyeka said.
He added that the Service deliberately withheld final release until Canadian officials arrived in Nigeria to personally confirm and complete the recovery process.
“We had individuals attempting to intervene on behalf of others, but due to the sensitivity of the case, we insisted that the handover must be directly to the Canadian government to preserve the integrity of the process,” he added.
Comptroller Onyeka further noted that the operation underscores the Nigeria Customs Service’s growing capacity to combat transnational vehicle theft syndicates that exploit global shipping networks to move stolen assets across borders.
He also highlighted that the successful recovery reflects ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling, and maritime enforcement aimed at tackling organised cross-border crime, including vehicle theft, illicit trade, and other forms of fraud.
