At least 28 people, including women and children, have been abducted by armed men in Nigeria\u2019s central Plateau state while travelling to an annual Islamic gathering, according to local sources.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred on Sunday night when gunmen intercepted a commercial bus transporting passengers between rural communities. Witnesses said the attackers blocked the road, stopped the vehicle, and forcibly led passengers away at gunpoint. The whereabouts of the victims remain unknown, and authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the attack.<\/p>\n
Families Receive Ransom Demands<\/strong><\/p>\n A journalist based in Plateau state told the BBC that relatives of the abducted passengers have already begun receiving ransom demands from the kidnappers. While Nigerian law prohibits the payment of ransom, security analysts note that such payments are widely believed to be how many abductions are resolved, making kidnapping a lucrative source of income for criminal groups.<\/p>\n The attack adds to mounting concerns over the spread of mass abductions across northern and central Nigeria, where armed criminal gangs commonly referred to as \u201cbandits\u201d\u2014frequently target highways, villages, schools, and religious travellers.<\/p>\n Incident Follows Release of Kidnapped Schoolchildren<\/strong><\/p>\n The Plateau state abductions were reported just one day after Nigerian authorities confirmed the release of the remaining 130 schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state last month. Their release had raised cautious optimism about improved security efforts.<\/p>\n However, the latest attack underscores the persistent risks faced by civilians, particularly those travelling through remote areas. Officials emphasized that the Plateau state kidnapping is not linked to the Islamist insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria, where jihadist groups have waged a separate conflict against government forces for more than a decade.<\/p>\n Government Rejects Claims of Religious Targeting<\/strong><\/p>\n Nigeria\u2019s deteriorating security situation has drawn increased international attention. In November, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened potential military action, alleging that Christians were being targeted in the country.<\/p>\n The Nigerian government has rejected those claims, maintaining that insecurity affects communities regardless of religion. On Monday, Information Minister Mohammed Idris said recent tensions with Washington had been \u201clargely resolved,\u201d leading to improved bilateral relations.<\/p>\n He also announced plans to deploy trained forest guards to patrol remote regions and forested areas often used as hideouts by criminal gangs, complementing ongoing military operations.<\/p>\n Despite these measures, Sunday\u2019s abduction highlights the continued challenge Nigeria faces in curbing kidnappings and restoring safety along its rural transport routes.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At least 28 people, including women and children, have been abducted by armed men in Nigeria\u2019s central Plateau state while travelling to an annual Islamic gathering, according to local sources. The incident occurred on Sunday night when gunmen intercepted a commercial bus transporting passengers between rural communities. Witnesses said the attackers blocked the road, stopped<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,54],"tags":[2554],"class_list":{"0":"post-14810","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-news","8":"category-social","9":"tag-nigeria-security-kidnapping-plateau-state-africa-crime-public-safety"},"yoast_head":"\n