Four journalists were kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria’s southern Abia state on Sunday, according to local media. The journalists had left a conference in Akwa Ibom state when they were ambushed by gunmen in three vehicles. Their whereabouts are not known, although the kidnappers have reportedly issued a ransom demand of $1.67 million.

The journalists have been identified as Wahab Oba, chairman of the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); Adolphus Okonkwo, a zonal secretary for the union; Sylvester Okere, secretary for the Lagos state council; and Sola Oyeyipo, a Lagos-based journalist, according to news reports. The journalists had been attending a national executive committee meeting of the NUJ. They were returning in a bus when they were waylaid by armed men in three vehicles who boarded the bus and forced the driver to follow their vehicles.

According to Allafrica.com, the kidnappers later contacted NUJ president Mohammed Garba and demanded payment of $1.67 million. They also allowed him to speak to two of the captive journalists, who appeared to be unharmed.

The government has condemned the abduction, and a police investigation is underway to find the missing journalists.

“It is unacceptable that journalists are being abducted and held for ransom,” said IPI Director David Dadge. “A fundamental pre-requisite for a free media is that journalists be allowed to move freely in their efforts to gather and transmit information. We urge the kidnappers to release the journalists immediately, and the Nigerian authorities to do all they can to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Kidnapping of journalists for ransom is not common in Nigeria, although other forms of harassment against the press are frequent. In April, three journalists were killed on the same day, 24 April 2010, in different parts of the country.

In the same month, a journalist was assaulted while covering a clash that erupted following an attack on the vehicle of a political candidate.

Several journalists have reported receiving death threats over their work.