…..Victims allegedly lured to Nigeria, passports seized
By Abdullahi Inuwa
The Nigeria Police Force has rescued two Colombian women allegedly trapped in a human trafficking operation in Lagos, as security operatives intensify the hunt for suspected Chinese members of the syndicate.
The victims, Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were reportedly deceived into travelling to Nigeria before being held against their will at a suspected criminal hideout in Lagos.
The breakthrough followed intelligence from INTERPOL-NCB Bogotá on August 26, 2026, alerting Nigerian authorities to the plight of the two Colombian nationals.
Acting swiftly on the information, operatives of the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, launched a covert tracking operation which led them to the location where the women were being held.
The police stormed the hideout and successfully rescued both victims.
But as the operatives moved in, the suspected traffickers reportedly fled, leaving the two women behind. Police said the suspects, identified as Chinese nationals, had allegedly confiscated the victims’ travel documents.
The fleeing suspects are now the target of an intensified manhunt, with investigators working to track them down and unravel the wider network behind the alleged trafficking operation.
The rescued women have been placed in safe custody and are receiving necessary assistance.
Meanwhile, the Colombian Embassy in Accra is collaborating with Nigerian authorities to arrange temporary accommodation and secure emergency travel documents for the victims ahead of their return to Bogotá.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s determination to protect residents and foreigners in the country while strengthening international partnerships against transnational organised crime.
The latest operation underscores the growing role of INTERPOL cooperation in exposing and disrupting criminal networks that operate across international borders.
Police authorities said the investigation is continuing, with efforts focused on arresting the fleeing suspects and bringing all those involved to justice.
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