Sunday, August 30, 2026 - 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 on Saturday, August 29.
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 police imagemaker said 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.
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