Two Indians, Anish Sharma and Mangipudi Sai Srinivas, were kidnapped in Gboko, north central Nigeria, on Wednesday evening, PTI reported. Srinivas, who is an engineer from Vishakapatnam, and Sharma were travelling to Dangote Cement Plc plant in a convoy of three cars when the incident occurred. Srinivas is reportedly an engineer with Dangote Cement. Officials have not said who the kidnappers were, amid rumours that the men could have been abducted by Boko Haram members.

Srinivas’ family approached local officials in Andhra Pradesh and the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. Srinivas last visited his home in January, his wife Lalitha told The New Indian Express. Collector N Yuvaraj said Nigerian officials had begun a search operation, and that administrative officials were in touch with the MEA and Indian embassy in Nigeria about the kidnapping.