Efforts are underway to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators, Plateau state police have said

Gunmen have abducted 28 Muslim travelers in central Nigeria, the authorities have reported, the latest in a spike in kidnappings that has gripped Africa's most populous country.

The travelers, including women and children, were ambushed late on Sunday night while their bus was heading to Gaji village in the Wase local government area of Plateau state, according to a police statement. Local media also reported that the group was bound for an annual Islamic gathering when the gunmen struck.

"Frantic efforts are currently underway to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators," Plateau Command Police spokesperson Alabo Alfred said on Tuesday. He added that an "intelligence-driven team of detectives was promptly mobilized to the scene."

Nigeria's north and Middle Belt regions have been plagued by kidnappings, banditry, and communal violence for years, with armed gangs frequently targeting travelers, villages, and schools.

READ MORE: Last group of kidnapped Nigerian students freed

The latest abduction came a day after the presidency announced the release of the last group of more than 300 schoolchildren seized from St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger state, on November 21. Days earlier, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school in Maga, Kebbi State, in an assault that left two staff members dead. A week before that, two people were killed when gunmen attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku town, Kwara State. Local officials said 38 churchgoers abducted in that raid have since been rescued. At least 13 worshippers were also kidnapped during an attack on a church in Kogi state on December 14.

The violence has drawn international attention, with US President Donald Trump threatening to send troops to "that now disgraced country" against radical Islamist groups, including Boko Haram, who he said are killing Christians.

Nigeria's government has rejected the claim that only Christians are being targeted, saying insecurity affects people of all faiths. Late last month, President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered expanded deployments of military and police personnel in response to the crisis.