The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has once again demonstrated the efficacy of its National Vehicle Identification Scheme (NVIS) portal in recovering stolen vehicles.

In a remarkable incident, the Rivers State Sector Command recovered a grey Toyota Camry on September 3, 2025, thanks to the timely intervention of the NVIS platform.

According to the Sector Public Education Officer, Rivers State, Route Commander, Amarachi C-Ekwere, on August 28, 2025, at approximately 11:05 a.m., a man named Mr. Edmund M. Banigo presented documents for verification and possible upload into the NVIS platform for the Toyota Camry.

However, upon further investigation, it was discovered that the vehicle had been previously registered to a different owner with a different number plate, raising suspicions about the vehicle’s authenticity.
C-Ekwere noted that further investigation revealed that the vehicle had been stolen from Mr. Obinna Ozokenna, who had parked it on the roadside at PW Kubwa, Abuja, on March 22, 2025.

Despite reporting the incident to Phase 4 Police Station Kubwa and SARS office Abuja, efforts to recover the vehicle had been unsuccessful until the NVIS platform flagged it.

The suspect was subsequently restrained and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, led by DSP Ibrahim Elem, and the vehicle was recovered.

She said: “Upon further search on the NVIS platform, it was revealed that the vehicle in question had been previously registered to a different owner with a different Number Plate contrary to the documents tendered to the Desk Officer, Rivers State Sector Command.

“A call was then put across to Mr Obinna Ozokenna, who stated that the car was stolen from where he parked it at the roadside at PW Kubwa, Abuja, on the 22nd of March 2025. According to him, he reported the case to Phase 4 Police Station Kubwa and SARs office Abuja, and all efforts to recover the car at that time did not yield results.

“Consequent upon the above, the suspect was restrained and handed over to men of the Nigeria Police Force (HWAKS) Rivers State, led by DSP Ibrahim Elem. The vehicle was recovered on the 3rd September 2025.”

Meanwhile, the Sector Commander, CC Inyang Umoh, has urged all vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles are registered and their details uploaded on the NVIS portal for easy identification and security.

He assured that the Rivers State Sector Command will continue to work collaboratively with other security agencies to prevent car theft and enhance national security.