Police Smash Lagos Trafficking Den, Rescue Trapped Colombian Nationals

​Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the National Central Bureau (NCB-INTERPOL), Lagos Annex, have dealt a severe blow to transnational organized crime by dismantling a notorious human trafficking hideout in Lagos and rescuing two Colombian women held captive by the syndicate.

​The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were fraudulently lured to Nigeria under false pretenses. Upon arrival, they were stripped of their freedom and had their travel documents forcibly confiscated by syndicate members. Intelligence reports indicate that the prime suspects operating the clandestine detention facility are Chinese nationals.

​The breakthrough came on August 26, 2026, following swift, actionable intelligence transmitted directly from INTERPOL-NCB in Bogotá, Colombia. Capitalizing on the tip, tactical police operatives launched an immediate covert tracking operation, successfully pinpointing and breaching the traffickers’ Lagos hideout the very same day.

ADVERTISEMENT

​Although the primary suspects managed to evade capture by fleeing the premises upon sighting the advancing law enforcement team, security forces have launched a high-intensity manhunt to track them down and bring every member of the cross-border network to justice.

​The rescued victims are currently in secure protective custody, receiving essential care and rehabilitation. Meanwhile, the Colombian Embassy in Accra, Ghana, is closely coordinating with the INTERPOL Lagos Annex to provide temporary accommodation and fast-track emergency travel documents, ensuring the safe repatriation of the victims back to Bogotá.

​Reiterating the force’s zero-tolerance stance on international criminality, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, commended the operatives for their prompt response. He emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force remains unyielding in its mission to protect all residents within the nation’s borders while strengthening international alliances to dismantle transnational syndicates.