Colombian visitor allegedly lured, held for days before escaping; Italian police widen investigation to track accomplices

Italian authorities have arrested five migrants, including two Nigerians, in connection with the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a Colombian tourist in Rome.

The 32-year-old woman was reportedly approached near a restaurant in the Italian capital on May 19 and lured away under the guise of buying hashish, a cannabis-related substance. According to police, she was subsequently taken in a van to an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city.

Investigators allege that the victim was held at the location for nearly three days, during which she was repeatedly assaulted, drugged, and threatened by her captors.

The woman eventually managed to escape and was later found by a passerby along a roadside. Emergency services were alerted, and she received immediate assistance.

Following a coordinated police operation at the property, five suspects were arrested. They have been identified as Nigerians Isibor Wisdom and Paul Nwabueze; Gambian nationals Saidykhan Lamin and Karamba Kanteh; and Harouna Traore from Mali.

All five have been charged with aggravated sexual assault and remain in custody as investigations continue.

Police say efforts are ongoing to locate additional suspects believed to have played roles in the incident, including the individual who allegedly lured the victim and the van driver. Authorities also confirmed that several undocumented migrants were discovered at the site during the raid, with some already transferred to detention centres pending deportation.