Police rescue two Colombian women held captive in Lagos

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, have rescued two Colombian nationals allegedly lured to Nigeria and held captive by a human trafficking syndicate.

The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued following actionable intelligence received from INTERPOL-NCB, Bogotá, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement released on Saturday.

According to the statement, the two women were “fraudulently lured to Nigeria, held against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated” by some Chinese nationals, who are currently at large.

The statement said the police launched a covert tracking operation immediately after receiving the intelligence.

It added that the operatives located the hideout in Lagos and rescued the victims “on the same day.”

The statement read in part, “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.”

According to the police, the suspects fled the location 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 said.

The police said the rescued Colombian nationals were currently in safe custody and receiving necessary support.

“The rescued victims are currently in safe custody and receiving necessary support,” the statement added.

The statement further disclosed that the Colombian Embassy in Accra was collaborating with the National Central Bureau to facilitate the victims’ return to their country.

“The Colombian Embassy in Accra is working in close collaboration with the Bureau to secure hotel accommodations for the victims and arrange emergency travel documents to ensure their safe return to Bogotá,” it said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the police to protecting residents and strengthening international cooperation against transnational crimes.

The statement said Disu “reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding the lives and property of all residents within the country, while deepening collaboration with international law enforcement partners to combat cross-border crimes.”

The police said efforts had been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects and dismantle the trafficking network.