Police rescue two Colombian women held captive in Lagos

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has rescued two Colombian women allegedly lured to Nigeria and held captive by suspected members of a transnational criminal syndicate in Lagos.

The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were reportedly rescued on August 26 following an intelligence alert from INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Bogotá, Colombia.

Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, disclosed the development on Saturday, describing the operation as a significant breakthrough in the fight against transnational organised crime.

According to Iniedu, the rescue operation was conducted by operatives of the National Central Bureau (NCB-INTERPOL), Lagos Annex, following intelligence received from their Colombian counterparts concerning the whereabouts of the two women.

The police spokesperson alleged that the victims had been fraudulently lured to Nigeria before being held against their will and having their travel documents confiscated.

“The victims were fraudulently lured to Nigeria, held against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated by certain Chinese nationals who are currently at large,” Iniedu said.

Following receipt of the intelligence, the INTERPOL-linked police team reportedly commenced a covert tracking operation to locate the victims.

The operation led detectives to a hideout in Lagos, where both Colombian nationals were found and safely rescued on the same day.

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The suspected members of the syndicate, however, reportedly fled the location after noticing the approaching police team.

The police said efforts have since been intensified to identify, locate and arrest the fleeing suspects and other members of the alleged criminal network.

Iniedu said the two rescued women were currently in safe custody and receiving the necessary assistance from the authorities.

He added that the Colombian Embassy in Accra was working closely with the NCB to arrange temporary accommodation for the victims and obtain emergency travel documents to facilitate their return to Bogotá.

The development highlights the growing importance of international law-enforcement cooperation in tackling organised criminal networks operating across national borders.

The Nigeria Police Force said intelligence-sharing and coordinated operations with international partners remain critical to identifying victims of transnational crimes, disrupting criminal syndicates and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, meanwhile, reaffirmed the commitment of the force to protecting the lives and property of residents and visitors in Nigeria.

Disu also pledged that the police would continue to strengthen partnerships with international law-enforcement agencies to combat cross-border criminal activities.

The police did not disclose the circumstances under which the Colombian women were allegedly recruited or the specific nature of the operation that brought them to Nigeria, but said investigations and efforts to apprehend the suspects were ongoing.