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Fresh details have emerged surrounding the Toyota Hilux van reportedly stolen during Juma’at prayers at a mosque in Abuja.
Multiple sources confirm the vehicle was not an operational asset of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
According to findings by PRNigeria, the Hilux in question was an older model that had been auctioned off to a staff member two years ago as part of ONSA’s routine disposal of ageing administrative vehicles.
“It’s an old vehicle that was handed over to a staff member during an auction two years ago,” an ONSA official disclosed anonymously.
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A military officer attached to the office recounted the incident, explaining that the staff member had driven to the Abuja Central Area on Friday for personal reasons. Upon realisng it was time for congregational prayers, he parked by the roadside and joined worshippers at a nearby mosque.
Sadly, the vehicle was nowhere to be found when he returned.
“The staff left the office in the early afternoon. When he saw that prayers were about to begin, he parked and joined the congregation. It was shocking that the vehicle was no longer there upon his return,” the officer shared.
Following the theft, the visibly shaken staff member promptly filed a report at the nearest police station. According to sources, the incident became public after he introduced himself as an ONSA staff member, hoping this would help fast-track the investigation.
“Someone at the station leaked the information to the press, which is how it blew up,” the source added.
Officials have since downplayed the theft's implications, describing it as a routine case of car theft rather than a security breach.
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“The van in question is neither a sensitive asset nor operationally linked to the National Security Adviser. Carjacking is, unfortunately, a common crime in cities across the world. This incident should not be blown out of proportion,” a military source stressed.