Two female Colombian nationals who were lured to Nigeria and held captive by a human trafficking syndicate have been rescued by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, who also dismantled the traffickers’ criminal hideout in Lagos.
The operation was conducted by the Force attached to the National Central Bureau (NCB-INTERPOL), Lagos Annex, following actionable intelligence received from INTERPOL-NCB, Bogotá, on August 26, 2026, concerning two female Colombian citizens identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa.
According to the Force spokesperson, Ani Iniedu, on Saturday, the victims were fraudulently lured to Nigeria, held against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated by some Chinese nationals who are currently at large.
He added that, upon receipt of the intelligence, police operatives promptly launched a covert tracking operation and located the hideout in Lagos, where both victims were safely rescued on the same day.
“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.
Meanwhile, the Force spokesperson revealed that the rescued victims are currently in safe custody and receiving the necessary support.
He further noted that the Colombian Embassy in Accra is working closely with the Bureau to secure hotel accommodation for the victims and arrange emergency travel documents to facilitate their safe return to Bogotá.
Commenting on the operation, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, said the successful rescue of the foreign nationals was part of the Force’s ongoing efforts to combat transnational organised crime.
Disu also reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of all residents in the country, while strengthening collaboration with international law enforcement partners to combat cross-border crimes.