Police rescue two Colombian women held captive in Lagos

Two Colombian women allegedly lured to Nigeria and held captive by a human trafficking syndicate have been rescued in Lagos following an international intelligence-sharing operation involving INTERPOL.

The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were freed on Wednesday, August 26, after the Nigeria Police Force received actionable intelligence from the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Bogotá, Colombia.

Operatives attached to the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, moved swiftly on the information, tracking the women to a suspected hideout in Lagos and rescuing them the same day.

According to Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the women were “fraudulently lured to Nigeria, held against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated” by certain Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in the trafficking operation.

The suspects, however, escaped before police arrived.

The police statement said:

“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 operation ended without the suspected traffickers being arrested.

“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.

Police said the two women are now in safe custody and receiving the necessary support.

Embassy steps in for victims' return

The rescue has also triggered a consular response aimed at getting the women safely back to Colombia.

The Colombian Embassy in Accra is working with the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL to arrange accommodation for the victims and obtain emergency travel documents required for their return to Bogotá.

The development underscores the increasingly international nature of human trafficking, where victims can be recruited in one country, transported across borders and confined in another.

In this case, intelligence originating in Colombia was passed to Nigerian law enforcement, enabling officers in Lagos to locate the victims within hours.

Suspects remain at large

The police have not disclosed how the women were recruited, how long they had been in Nigeria or the precise circumstances under which they were allegedly lured into the country.

Authorities also have not announced any arrests in connection with the case.

The suspected Chinese nationals identified by police remain at large, while investigators continue efforts to identify and apprehend those believed to be behind the operation.

Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force's commitment to protecting residents and strengthening cooperation with international law-enforcement agencies to combat cross-border crime.

The rescue therefore represents not only the recovery of two alleged trafficking victims, but also a demonstration of how cross-border intelligence cooperation can help disrupt trafficking networks operating across national boundaries.

For Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, the immediate priority is now a safe return home — while Nigerian investigators work to ensure those allegedly responsible for bringing them into captivity are brought to justice.