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Federal Polytechnic Mubi students killed in Nigeria | Federal Polytechnic Mubi students killed in Nigeria |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Some 25 people, mostly students, have been killed by unknown gunmen in Mubi, north-eastern Nigeria, police say. | Some 25 people, mostly students, have been killed by unknown gunmen in Mubi, north-eastern Nigeria, police say. |
Twenty-two of the dead were students whom attackers had called out by name, a police spokesman told the BBC. | |
A local resident said at least 40 people had been shot dead or stabbed. | A local resident said at least 40 people had been shot dead or stabbed. |
The killings come days after a major operation against the Boko Haram militant group in the town, while others have linked them to a dispute over student union elections. | The killings come days after a major operation against the Boko Haram militant group in the town, while others have linked them to a dispute over student union elections. |
Rivalries over student elections have turned violent before but have never reached this level, says the BBC's Nigeria correspondent Will Ross. | |
Mobile phone masts in the area were recently attacked by Boko Haram militants, so getting information from Mubi is difficult, adds our correspondent. | |
'Everybody is scared' | 'Everybody is scared' |
Investigations were under way, said Adamawa state police spokesman Mohammed Ibrahim, who had just visited the scene, adding that the motive for the attack was not yet clear. | |
But he said the attackers had inside knowledge: "The attackers called the victims by name and killed them." | But he said the attackers had inside knowledge: "The attackers called the victims by name and killed them." |
Two of the dead were security guards and the other an elderly resident, said Mr Ibrahim. | |
One resident who did not want his name to be used, told the BBC's Hausa service that men in military uniform went to a hall of residence away from the Federal Polytechnic Mubi campus just before midnight, got the students out of their rooms and ordered them to say their names. | |
Some were then shot dead and others stabbed with knives, and their bodies left in lines outside the buildings. | Some were then shot dead and others stabbed with knives, and their bodies left in lines outside the buildings. |
He said it was not clear why some were killed and others spared - some of the dead were Muslim while others were Christian. | |
"Everybody is scared," he said, adding that the shooting lasted for about two hours. | "Everybody is scared," he said, adding that the shooting lasted for about two hours. |
He added that students were now leaving the town, many with tree branches over their cars - a traditional sign of neutrality in Nigeria. | He added that students were now leaving the town, many with tree branches over their cars - a traditional sign of neutrality in Nigeria. |
The authorities have imposed an indefinite curfew in the town and ordered residents to stay indoors. | The authorities have imposed an indefinite curfew in the town and ordered residents to stay indoors. |
The university has been temporarily closed. | The university has been temporarily closed. |
Last week, the Nigerian military carried out an operation in Mubi and arrested dozens of people over suspected links to Boko Haram. | Last week, the Nigerian military carried out an operation in Mubi and arrested dozens of people over suspected links to Boko Haram. |
Mubi is in Adamawa state, which has a mixed Muslim and Christian population and borders Borno state, where Boko Haram came to prominence in 2009, staging an uprising in the state capital, Maiduguri. | Mubi is in Adamawa state, which has a mixed Muslim and Christian population and borders Borno state, where Boko Haram came to prominence in 2009, staging an uprising in the state capital, Maiduguri. |
Boko Haram has not yet commented on the Mubi attacks. | Boko Haram has not yet commented on the Mubi attacks. |
It is fighting to establish Islamic law in Nigeria and has killed more than 1,000 people in numerous attacks across northern and central areas this year. | It is fighting to establish Islamic law in Nigeria and has killed more than 1,000 people in numerous attacks across northern and central areas this year. |