In brief
Gunmen have abducted 28 individuals, including women and children, in central Nigeria's Plateau State as they were heading to an annual Islamic event. Police have deployed forces to the area, but families of the victims are already receiving ransom demands, highlighting the ongoing issue of kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria. This incident follows a recent resolution of another mass kidnapping in Niger State, raising concerns about safety amid increasing criminal activities in the region.
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.
News of the abductions comes just a day after the Nigerian authorities announced 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 the families of the latest victims had begun receiving ransom demands.
The police have not released further information on the identity of possible perpetrators, as kidnapping for ransom by local criminal gangs, colloquially referred to as bandits, has become a common occurrence in northern and central Nigeria.
Although the payment of cash for the release of kidnapped individuals is illegal, many believe this is often how cases are resolved, serving as a funding source for these gangs.
The incident in Plateau state is separate from the long-running Islamist insurgency in Nigeria's north-east, where jihadist groups have been waging battles against the state for over a decade.
Following increased scrutiny on Nigeria's security situation, especially after US President Trump's assertions regarding the targeting of Christians, Nigeria's federal government maintains that security problems are acknowledged but denies any religious targeting.
Minister of Information Mohammed Idris noted on Monday that relations with the US have improved considerably after resolving tensions regarding the insecurity issue.
To bolster security, trained forest guards will be deployed to secure remote areas that serve as hideouts for criminal groups, supplementing the army's operations.
Additional reporting by Abayomi Adisa and BBC Monitoring
