The Lagos State Police Command says it has recovered 36 vehicles suspected to have been stolen in Lagos and other parts of the country, including some traced to international smuggling routes.
Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, disclosed this during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Wednesday. The recovered vehicles, which are of varying makes and models, were displayed alongside other seized exhibits.
According to Jimoh, many of the vehicles were intercepted while being moved out of Lagos, allegedly en route to international borders for illegal export. Others were recovered from criminal hideouts or locations where they had already been sold.
“Some of these vehicles were stolen by drivers entrusted with them, while others were recovered in operations targeting car theft syndicates,” he said.
The police also confirmed that several of the vehicles were linked to fraud cases and illicit activities involving criminal gangs. The commissioner added that 70 additional vehicles are currently in police custody pending further investigation.
He urged members of the public whose cars were stolen — either at gunpoint or through insider theft — to visit the state police command for possible identification and recovery.
Jimoh noted that while the exact number of arrests was not disclosed, suspects are in custody and will be prosecuted once investigations are concluded. Various firearms were also reportedly recovered during the operations.
The commissioner explained that the recent progress stems in part from the work of the Eko Strike Force, a specialised tactical team created to respond quickly to identified security threats. The unit, which started with five teams, now has nine, and operates alongside the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
Jimoh added that the average police response time to distress calls has dropped to about five minutes, a development he attributed to increased coordination and community support.
He acknowledged the role of public intelligence in achieving recent breakthroughs and reiterated the command’s commitment to securing lives and property across the state.