Bandits have abducted 20 children aged between four and 10 in the Kusherki Community of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
The victims comprise four males and 16 females.
Residents said the children had so far spent 21 days in captivity and bandits were demanding N40 million ransom.
A resident told Daily Trust that the children had been subjected to hardship by their abductors.
He said the parents of the children who had been in a difficult situation since the abduction called on the authorities to assist in rescuing them.
Residents said bandits had in the past few weeks returned to operations in Rafi and Magama axis as well as Zungeru-Tegina Road, putting fear in the minds of farmers who have just started harvesting their crops.
Another resident, Abdullahi Ibrahim told Daily Trust that many of their relations that were kidnapped four months ago were also still in captivity.