20 gunned down at Nigerian college

[iolsa]

Abuja - At least 20 students were killed by unidentified gunmen in the north-east of Nigeria, the Daily Times Nigeria reported on Tuesday on its website.

A student told dpa that the attack occurred late Monday at a dormitory near a campus of the Federal Polytechnic in the city of Mubi.

“Some people came from nowhere and, when they had the door opened for them, after knocking, they just started shooting people,” said Mahmud Tarfa. “According to what I was told, they were asking for the ethnicity of the students before shooting them.”

The university remains closed following the incident.

“The authorities of the school told us to go home this morning, as the school is being closed until the situation calms down,” said the student.

The radical Islamist group Boko Haram is believed to be behind the attack.

The Daily Times reported that government forces had staged an operation in the region, killing one Boko Haram member and arresting up to 100 more.

Communication with the region is difficult, as Boko Haram members recently knocked down most telephone antennae.

Boko Haram opposes any form of Western lifestyle and has routinely attacked churches and places that serve alcohol. They often target Christians. More than 1 000 have died in the violence. - Sapa-dpa



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