The West African regional bloc Ecowas has condemned the kidnapping of 80 people last week in northern Nigeria.
Many of those abducted in Zamfara state were women and teenagers who had been collecting firewood.
In a statement, Ecowas called for the children’s release. It is unclear who carried out the abductions.
Many kidnappings, often for ransom, by armed criminal gangs have taken place in Zamfara. The incident is the latest in a wave of violent crime in Nigeria.
Armed gangs killed more than 70 people in two separate attacks in the central state of Benue last week.
On Friday, a camp for internally displaced people in the area of Mgban was targeted by gunmen and dozens killed.
And a week ago, a number of residents were shot in the remote village of Umogidi. Some were decapitated.
