Nigerian police have rescued two Colombian women held captive by a human trafficking syndicate in Lagos. This follows intelligence received from INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Bogotá.
Force PRO Ani Iniedu confirmed the operation in a statement issued on Saturday from Abuja. The intelligence was received on August 26, 2026, alerting Nigerian authorities that two female Colombian nationals had been fraudulently lured to Nigeria, detained against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated by Chinese nationals who remain at large.
Upon receiving the tip, operatives attached to the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL’s Lagos Annex launched an immediate covert tracking operation. Both women were located and safely rescued from a hideout in Lagos on the same day the intelligence was received. The suspects fled the location upon sighting the approaching police team. Efforts to track down and arrest all members of the syndicate are ongoing.
The two women are currently in safe custody and receiving support. The Colombian Embassy in Accra is working with the bureau to secure hotel accommodation for the victims and arrange emergency travel documents to facilitate their return to Bogotá.
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to protecting all residents in the country. As well as deepening cooperation with international law enforcement partners in combating cross-border crime.
The case exposes a pattern of trafficking operations that use Nigeria as a transit or destination point, with foreign nationals being targeted through fraudulent job or opportunity offers before being stripped of their documents and freedom. The Chinese nationals believed to be behind the operation remain on the run.
The women have been found and rescued but the suspects remain at large.
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