DHAKA: A college provost says suspected Islamic militants gunned down students as they slept and killed as many as 50 in an early-morning attack in northeast Nigeria.

Molima Idi Mato of the Yobe state College of Agriculture told media that the gunmen also torched classrooms in the attack at about 1am on Sunday in rural Gujba, reports The Times of India.

The college is about 40 kilometres from the scene of similar school attacks around Damaturu town.

He said security forces are still recovering bodies so he could not give an exact death toll. He said about 1,000 students have fled.

Northeast Nigeria is in a military state of emergency against an Islamic uprising prosecuted by Boko Haram militants who have killed hundreds of civilians in their quest for an Islamic state.

BDST: 1758 HRS, SEPT 29, 2013
RoR/RK