Police Rescue Two Colombian Women in Lagos, Launch Manhunt for Chinese Trafficking Syndicate
Police Rescue Two Colombian Women in Lagos, Launch Manhunt for Chinese Trafficking Syndicate
LAGOS — Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued two Colombian women allegedly trafficked into Nigeria and held captive by a suspected human trafficking syndicate in Lagos State.
The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued during a covert operation conducted by the Lagos Annex of the National Central Bureau (NCB-INTERPOL).
The operation followed actionable intelligence received from INTERPOL-NCB in Bogotá on August 26, 2026, indicating that the women had allegedly been fraudulently brought into Nigeria, stripped of their travel documents and detained against their will.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, police operatives immediately commenced a covert tracking operation which led them to a suspected hideout in Lagos.
“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,” Iniedu said in a statement issued on Saturday.
However, the suspected masterminds, identified as Chinese nationals, reportedly fled the location shortly before the police team arrived.
“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 police spokesperson said.
The two Colombian nationals are currently in safe custody, where they are receiving medical and psychological support following their ordeal.
The Nigerian Police Force is also working with the Colombian Embassy in Accra to obtain emergency travel documents and secure temporary accommodation for the victims ahead of their repatriation to Bogotá.
The development has once again highlighted the transnational nature of human trafficking and the importance of international intelligence-sharing in tackling organised crime in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to protecting lives and strengthening international partnerships in the fight against transnational crimes.
Police authorities said efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest the fleeing suspects and other members of the alleged syndicate.
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