Yobe Students Attack,Death Toll Rises To 78

The death toll at the College of Agriculure ,Gujba ,Yobe State has risen to 78.

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram sect members yesterday went on rampage in Gujba community, Yobe state where they opened fire on the students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, at 3a.m. as they slept in their hostel. They later moved to other houses, where they killed residents at will.

They also blocked the Damaturu-Maiduguri road and killed travellers.

At the end of the attack, 78 persons lay dead, while several others were still missing.

According to members of the community, soldiers arrived the scene two hours after the gunmen had left.

The gunmen were said to be wearing military camouflage with black bandanas round their heads.

An official of Damaturu Specialist Hospital, who requested anonymity, said “immediately after the attack, 40 bodies were brought to the morgue and all are believed to have been students of the College of Agriculture in Gujba.”

The number, however, increased as more bodies were recovered from the bush.

Military spokesman, Lazarus Eli told newsmen that security forces were at the scene, but that details on the number of dead and injured were not yet available.

He added that the early morning assault was targeted at the College of Agriculture in Gujba, Yobe State.

“It was carried out by Boko Haram terrorists, who went into the school and opened fire on students while they were sleeping,” he added.

A police source, who requested anonymity, said that initial reports indicated the death toll could be higher, but he was not prepared to discuss figures.

Provost of the College, Molima Idi Mato, said: “They attacked our students while they were sleeping in their hostel They opened fire at them.”

He said he could not give an exact death toll as security forces were still recovering bodies of students mostly aged between 18 and 22.

”The school’s surviving students have fled,” he added.

One of the surviving students, Idris, who would not give his first name, said: “They started gathering students into groups outside, then they opened fire and killed one group and then moved onto the next group and killed them.

“It was so terrible. They came with guns around 1a.m. and went directly to the male hostel and opened fire on them”

Ahmed Gujunba, a taxi driver who lives by the college said: “The college is in the bush, so the other students were running around helplessly as guns went off and some of them were shot down.”

Gujba is about 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Damaturu, the state capital.

Yobe has seen a series of brutal attacks targeting students in recent months, all blamed on Boko Haram.

By afternoon after the attack, scores of travellers were also killed, by suspected members of Boko Haram in YobeState.

The militants were said to have blocked Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, shooting indiscriminately.

An eyewitness, who was on his way to Maiduguri, told the media that at least 20 persons were killed.

The witness said: “The situation is terrible. They blocked our way, and were spraying people with bullets.

“Some of us managed to run into the bush. At least, 20 persons were shot dead in the three buses before us.”