Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued two Colombian women allegedly trafficked into Nigeria and held captive by a suspected international human trafficking syndicate in Lagos State.
The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued on Wednesday, August 26, after the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, Bogotá, alerted its Nigerian counterpart to their plight.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the two women were allegedly deceived into travelling to Nigeria, where their passports and other travel documents were confiscated by suspected members of the syndicate.
Following the intelligence from Bogotá, operatives of the NCB-INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, commenced a covert operation to trace the victims and their captors.
The operation eventually led detectives to a hideout in Lagos where the two Colombian nationals were found and rescued.
The suspected traffickers, identified as Chinese nationals, reportedly fled the location after noticing the arrival of the police team, leaving the victims behind.
The police said intensive efforts were ongoing to locate and arrest the fleeing suspects and uncover other members of the suspected transnational criminal network.
The rescued women have been placed in safe custody and are receiving necessary assistance from the authorities.
The Colombian Embassy in Accra is also collaborating with the Nigerian police to arrange temporary accommodation for the victims and facilitate the issuance of emergency travel documents for their return to Bogotá.
The development underscores the growing collaboration between Nigerian law enforcement authorities and international agencies in tackling human trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to protecting the lives and property of residents and foreigners in the country.
IGP Disu also stressed the importance of international law enforcement cooperation in dismantling criminal networks operating across national borders.
