By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
MAJOR INTERNAL security alert has been raised as the Nigeria Police Force confirmed the disappearance of one of its official operational vehicles from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The incident has triggered a nationwide manhunt, with all police commands and tactical units placed on high alert.
According to an official police wireless memo circulated across formations, the missing vehicle is a Toyota Buffalo Land Cruiser bearing registration number NPF 5594 D and chassis number JTELU71JX0B027126.
The vehicle was attached to the Department of Operations at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.
It was reported missing on 28 July 2025, after it was allegedly removed from the designated parking lot at the complex.
The internal communication, relayed through the office of the Commissioner of Police in charge of DFA, Katsina Command, and transmitted from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), formally notified all units of the incident.
The signal stated: “The vehicle attached to the Department of Operations, FHQ Abuja, was declared missing/stolen or removed from where parked on 28/07/2025 from the parking lot of FHQ, Louis Edet House, Abuja. Case is under investigation. Grateful disseminate to formations, area commands, and divisions for possible recovery.”
The directive immediately escalated the matter across the entire security architecture of the country.
Police formations, including state commands, area commands, divisional police offices, and tactical units, have been instructed to intensify monitoring efforts and take urgent measures to identify and recover the missing SUV.
The signal further underscored the seriousness of the development by directing officers to treat the matter as “very important.”
This alert was disseminated to ensure that the vehicle could not be moved through any part of the country without being flagged.
According to the police order, operatives in all jurisdictions are to remain vigilant at checkpoints, highways, and security posts, with instructions to share any intelligence or sightings of the vehicle immediately with the Force Headquarters and the FCID.
The disappearance of the vehicle, which was officially allocated for operational purposes at the Department of Operations, marks a significant internal breach, raising questions within the security system on how an official SUV could have been removed unnoticed from a tightly controlled zone such as the Louis Edet House premises.
Police noted the ongoing investigation has been formally classified under the supervision of the FCID, which is coordinating efforts with state commands nationwide to trace and recover the SUV.
While the official signal did not provide further details of possible suspects or how the disappearance occurred, it confirmed that the matter remains under active inquiry.
Police operatives across the federation have also been directed to liaise closely with intelligence units to track potential movements of the vehicle.
Security operatives at state borders, seaports, and airports have been included in the alert network to prevent the vehicle from being moved outside the country.
The Force Headquarters stressed that cooperation between all tactical formations is key to a swift recovery of the missing vehicle.
Area commands and divisional officers were tasked with updating their surveillance strategies, sharing information in real time, and immediately notifying superior commands of any credible sightings.
According to the internal directive, the seriousness attached to the matter reflects the operational value of the vehicle and the implications of its disappearance from the headquarters.
The Land Cruiser model is commonly deployed by the Police in tactical and high-level operational duties. Its disappearance is being treated as a breach requiring urgent attention.
The internal alert has reinforced instructions for tighter monitoring of official fleets across commands.
While the investigation continues, officers have been advised to strengthen vehicle inventory checks and secure designated parking zones at all headquarters and divisional offices.
The Force Headquarters, through its communication channels, reminded formations that the missing vehicle remains classified as “stolen or removed,” with its recovery prioritised as a matter of operational importance.
Security agencies working alongside the police have been mandated to feed intelligence reports back to the FCID for analysis and follow-up action.
The development has also triggered heightened scrutiny of official premises. Security personnel within the Louis Edet House complex have been directed to submit detailed reports of the day the vehicle was declared missing, including records from surveillance coverage, access logs, and patrol rosters.
The aim, according to the directive, is to provide investigators with a full timeline of activities within the premises leading up to the disappearance.
While the police signal did not make reference to whether arrests had been made, it confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing and would cover all possible leads.
All formations have been therefore instructed to consider the vehicle’s recovery as a matter of urgent national interest, and to circulate details within their jurisdictions until the case is resolved.
