The victims, some of whom had been attending a local ceremony, were rounded up from a playground and nearby houses, and taken into the bush on foot.

While some of the hostages managed to escape, children were among those kidnapped.

Police officials arrived several hours later to search for the assailants, raising concerns among residents in Kwali and nearby towns, where abductions for ransom have become increasingly common over the past year.

Despite Nigeria's longstanding security challenges, until recently the capital territory had been relatively unaffected by the abductions and killings that have plagued the north of the country. (ILKHA)