Bauchi Police Arrest Two, Recover Stolen 2022 Toyota Hilux Trafficked from Jos

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspects and recovered a 2022 Toyota Hilux allegedly stolen in Jos, Plateau State, in what authorities described as another breakthrough in the fight against interstate vehicle theft and trafficking.

The command said the recovery followed a distress report received from Plateau State after the vehicle, belonging to a 48-year-old resident of Kwata Zawan, Jos, was reported stolen from the premises of Oasis Bakery, Bukuru, on the night of July 17, 2026.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, detectives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) immediately launched an intelligence-led operation that led to the arrest of two suspects in Bauchi less than 24 hours after the theft.

Police identified the suspects as Ibrahim Tijjani, 31, of Federal Low Cost, Jos, and Umar Muhammad, 33, of Unguwar Rogo, Jos. According to the command, Tijjani is a dismissed lieutenant of the Nigerian Army, who was disengaged from service in 2021.

The suspects were arrested on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Larema Hotel, GRA Dass Road, Bauchi, following what police described as a painstaking overt operation.

Investigators alleged that the Hilux was stolen through deception, with the operation allegedly carried out with the assistance of individuals posing as military personnel.

The police said preliminary interrogation revealed that the prime suspect, Ibrahim Tijjani, allegedly confessed to the theft of the Hilux.

According to the command, he also admitted to previously stealing two vehicles from Bauchi State, which were allegedly transported and sold in another state on separate occasions.

Police said investigations are continuing to determine the full extent of the suspects' activities and identify any additional members of the alleged vehicle theft network.

The Commissioner of Police in Bauchi State, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, commended the professionalism and swift response of the SCID detectives, describing the operation as another major success in the command's campaign against property-related crimes.

He disclosed that the latest recovery brings to about six the number of stolen vehicles recovered by the command within the first two weeks of July 2026.

The police commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons or activities to security agencies.

He also reiterated the command's public safety campaign, urging citizens to embrace the slogan: "See Something, Say Something, so the Police can do something."

The recovered Toyota Hilux has since been released to its owner, while the suspects remain in police custody pending the conclusion of investigations and their arraignment in court.