LAGOS -- Two Chinese nationals have been kidnapped in Agada village in central Nigeria's Nasarawa state, police said Sunday.

State police spokesperson Ismail Noman, who confirmed the incident to Xinhua, said the two Chinese, aged 50 and 45 respectively, were ambushed by unknown gunmen at about 2:28 pm local time on their way to the capital Abuja Saturday.

They were said to be workers from the Chinese company of West African Polaris Investment.

Noman said although the gunmen, wielding sophisticated weapons, were still at large, the police had begun investigation to track them.

He said security operatives had been deployed into the forests and bush around the area to arrest the suspects and rescue the victims.

According to him, security operatives in collaboration with vigilante groups, local hunters and community leaders have also been involved in the search.

The police had also increased stop search activities across the state borders.