Unknown gunmen have launched a vicious attack on the College of Agriculture in Yobe state, killing an unspecified number of students.

Details of the attack are still sketchy but the provost of the college, Mulima Mata, confirmed the incident, which the News Agency of Nigeria said occurred early Sunday morning in the Gujba district of the state.

Reports say the students were shot dead as they slept in their dormitory.

The Yobe state command of the Nigeria police could however not be reached to confirm the incident.

But the Agence France-Presse news agency quoted a military spokesman in Yobe state, Lazarus Eli, as saying the gunmen also set fire to classrooms.

Residents believe the attack has the imprimatur of the extremist Boko Haram sect which has in the past three years slaughtered thousands of innocent Nigerians in attacks on schools, places of worship, media establishments and security installations.

Academic activities only resumed last week in schools across Yobe state following 10 weeks of closure after the brazen attack by members of the violent sect on two secondary schools, which led to the death of 29 students and three teachers.

The state government ordered the closure of all schools in the northeastern state after the attack by members of the sect on Government Secondary School, Mamudo.

But Government Secondary School, Mamudo, remained closed for another two weeks for the conclusion of ongoing reconstruction work in the school, the state Commissioner of Education, Mohammed Lamin said.

The Boko Haram sect had on Wednesday and Thursday murdered at least 27 persons in two separate attacks in the border towns of Borno State, government officials and security sources said.

The Chairman of Gamboru-Ngala Local Government Area, Modu-Gana Sheriiff, told journalists that the 27 persons died when gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists attacked Fulatari and Kanumburi wards of the local government.

“The first attack occurred about eleven o’clock in the evening on Wednesday while the second was carried out last Thursday at about ten o’clock in the evening,” Mr. Sheriff said.

“In the first attack, six people were killed and four others sustained injuries in Fulatari. While 21 people lost their lives in the second attack including the Village Head of Gamboru Lawan Ali Shettima, and two others sustaining bullet injuries and are now receiving treatment’.

Source: Premium Times