•The victims
The Nigeria Police Force has rescued two Colombian women allegedly lured to Nigeria and held captive by a human trafficking syndicate in Lagos.
The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued by operatives of the National Central Bureau (NCB-INTERPOL), Lagos Annex, following actionable intelligence from INTERPOL-NCB, Bogotá.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued today.
According to Iniedu, the intelligence was received on August 26, 2026, indicating that the two Colombian nationals had been fraudulently lured to Nigeria, where they were allegedly held against their will and stripped of their travel documents.
The police said certain Chinese nationals suspected to be behind the operation fled the location before the arrival of the operatives and are currently at large.
“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 Force said the suspects abandoned the hideout after sighting the approaching police team, adding that efforts had been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.
“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,” Iniedu stated.
The rescued women are currently in safe custody and receiving necessary support, according to the police.
The Force added that the Colombian Embassy in Accra was collaborating with the NCB-INTERPOL to secure hotel accommodation for the victims and obtain emergency travel documents for their return to Bogotá.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the police to protecting residents and strengthening international partnerships in the fight against transnational crimes.
