Armed men have kidnapped 28 people travelling to an annual Islamic event in Nigeria's central Plateau state, local police told the BBC.
The victims, including women and children, were ambushed in their bus on Sunday night as it was driving between villages.
Police spokesperson Alabo Alfred stated that the authorities have 'deployed assets' to the affected area to ensure that those abducted are rescued.
The news of the abductions follows the recent announcement by Nigerian authorities that they secured the release of the remaining 130 schoolchildren and teachers from a separate mass kidnapping at a Catholic boarding school in Niger state last month.
A journalist based in Plateau state reported that families of the latest victims had begun receiving ransom demands. The police have not publicly identified the potential perpetrators.
Kidnapping for ransom by criminal gangs, commonly referred to as bandits, has become increasingly common across parts of northern and central Nigeria. Though the handover of cash to secure the release of abducted individuals is illegal, it is believed to be a common resolution approach used by many families affected.
This incident in Plateau state is distinct from the long-standing Islamist insurgency occurring in the northeast, where jihadist groups have been engaged in conflict with the state for over a decade.
The recent surge in violence has drawn international attention, notably after comments from US President Trump suggested the need for military intervention in Nigeria due to alleged targeting of Christians, a claim Nigeria's federal government has denied.
In response to these security concerns, Information Minister Mohammed Idris stated on Monday that recent tensions with the US over insecurity and alleged persecution of Christians had been 'largely resolved', leading to improved relations with Washington. He also announced plans to deploy trained forest guards to safeguard remote areas commonly used as hideouts by criminal groups, supplementing existing military operations.
