Gunmen killed 20 people and stole cattle from a village in central Nigeria in a "bandit" attack, a local development organisation said on Saturday.

Kidnap gangs, referred to as "bandits" by locals, regularly carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages in Nigeria.

The latest attack took place in the country's central Plateau state on Friday, the Kanam Development Association (KADA) said in a statement, when gunmen ambushed soldiers on a routine patrol.

"In the exchange of gunfire that followed the ambush, our nation lost brave defenders who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty," KADA said, adding 12 security personnel and eight people who joined them to protect their communities had died.

Cattle stolen

The gunmen then stormed a nearby community and stole property, including cattle.

"This further compounds the suffering of already vulnerable rural communities," KADA said, adding villages in the area had been subject to repeated attacks and kidnappings in recent years.

In recent years, the Nigerian government has ramped up efforts to battle criminal groups, including bandits and terrorists. Insecurity, however, persists, especially in the country's north.