Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force has rescued two Colombian women who were allegedly lured to Nigeria and held captive by a suspected human trafficking syndicate operating in Lagos.
The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued following intelligence shared by INTERPOL-NCB Bogotá on August 26, 2026.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed the development in a statement on Saturday, saying operatives attached to the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, carried out the operation.
According to the police, the women were “fraudulently lured to Nigeria, held against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated” by suspected Chinese nationals who remain at large.
Acting on the intelligence received, police operatives launched a covert operation that led them to the victims’ location in Lagos.
“Upon receipt of the intelligence, police operatives promptly launched a covert tracking operation, locating the hideout in Lagos where both victims were safely rescued on the same day,” the statement said.
The police explained that the suspects fled the scene when they noticed the approaching operatives.
“The fleeing suspects abandoned the location upon sighting the approaching team, and efforts have been intensified to track down and arrest all members of the syndicate,” the statement added.
The rescued women are currently in protective custody and receiving support from relevant authorities.
According to the police, the Colombian Embassy in Accra is working closely with the National Central Bureau to secure accommodation for the victims and facilitate emergency travel documents for their return to Bogotá.
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to tackling human trafficking, protecting residents, and strengthening cooperation with international law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crime.
The police said investigations are ongoing, while efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects and dismantle the trafficking network behind the alleged abduction and illegal confinement of the foreign nationals.
