By: Tunji Okunlola
The Nigeria Police Force has rescued two Colombian women who authorities say were lured into the country and subsequently held against their will in Lagos.
The victims, named as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, are believed to have been trafficked into Nigeria by a criminal syndicate that seized their travel documents upon arrival.
Their recovery came after a tip-off from INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Bogotá on August 26, 2026. Officers attached to the NCB-INTERPOL Lagos Annex moved quickly on the intelligence, carrying out a covert operation that traced the women to a suspected hideout in the city. The alleged captors are said to have escaped just before police arrived, abandoning the two women at the scene.
Both women were rescued unharmed and remain in police custody, where they are being given appropriate care and assistance. The Colombian Embassy in Accra is reportedly coordinating with Nigerian police to arrange temporary lodging and emergency travel papers to facilitate their return to Bogotá.
Police say they have stepped up efforts to track down the Chinese nationals suspected of orchestrating the scheme, who have not yet been apprehended.
The case underscores the increasingly cross-border nature of human trafficking networks and the need for sustained cooperation among international law enforcement bodies. Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu restated the force’s commitment to safeguarding residents and deepening global partnerships in the fight against transnational crime.