The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in partnership with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) Nigeria, has successfully recovered the official vehicle of the Commission’s Secretary, which was stolen in November 2023.
During the handover of the vehicle, NiDCOM’s Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed her appreciation to INTERPOL and NiDCOM staff for their dedicated efforts in tracking down and retrieving the vehicle.
“I want to thank INTERPOL in both Nigeria and Ghana, the Nigerian Embassy in Ghana, and our committed NiDCOM staff member, Akinsola Akinboye, for their hard work in recovering the vehicle,” Dabiri-Erewa stated.
She added, “This car was stolen almost a year ago, and we are grateful for Dr. Bassi’s safety as well. Through diligent tracking, we were able to recover the vehicle from Ghana. This achievement is truly historic for us.”
INTERPOL’s representative overseeing vehicle crimes, Onyebuchi Matthew, spoke about the collaborative efforts that made the recovery possible. “The report of the stolen vehicle was made nearly a year ago, and we immediately began communicating with our counterparts. Initially, the vehicle wasn’t in Ghana, but it was later traced there. Special thanks to NiDCOM staff, especially Akinsola Akinboye, for his vital contributions,” he noted.
Matthew emphasized the importance of promptly reporting stolen vehicles to INTERPOL, stating, “We’ve recovered numerous vehicles stolen from Nigeria and abroad. However, many Nigerians fail to report stolen vehicles quickly, making recovery more difficult. It’s crucial to inform INTERPOL immediately so the theft can be registered in our database.”
He also mentioned that this prompt reporting helps prevent innocent buyers from unknowingly purchasing stolen vehicles, aiding in their recovery.
Akinsola Akinboye, who played a key role in the recovery, expressed his gratitude to Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the security agencies for their support. “It started like a joke, but I want to thank Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the security agencies for believing in me and allowing me to recover the vehicle,” he said.
Dr. Sule Bassi, the NiDCOM Secretary whose vehicle was recovered, shared his relief and gratitude: “The trauma of the armed robbery was hard to overcome, but escaping it was a miracle. I had just arrived home when gunmen attacked me, but I managed to run to safety, and my wife was unharmed. Seeing the vehicle brings back many memories. We prayed for two things: the recovery of the car and for the culprits to be brought to justice.”
The successful recovery of the vehicle underscores the effectiveness of cross-border collaboration and highlights the importance of timely reporting of stolen vehicles.
