The abductees, who were mostly mobile phone dealers from a popular market in Gusau, were traveling back home from a wedding ceremony when unidentified gunmen ambushed a convoy of their vehicles, according to local sources.

A man who managed to survive the attack said that the assailants had mounted three roadblocks in order to trap vehicles.

Security forces have launched a search and rescue operation for the hostages, authorities said. (ILKHA)