It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Boko Haram gunmen have opened fire in a college dormitory in north-east Nigeria as students slept, killing at least 40 people, in the latest massacre blamed on the Islamist insurgents.
All of the dead are said to have been students of the College of Agriculture in the town of Gujba, some 30 kilometres from Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state.
The early morning attack was carried out by "Boko Haram terrorists who went into the school and opened fire on students" while they were sleeping, the military spokesman in Yobe, Lazarus Eli, told AFP.
An official at the Damaturu Specialist Hospital, who requested anonymity, said "40 bodies", all of whom appeared to be of university student age, had been received so far from Gujba
Part of a pattern?
Since 2009, Boko Haram has sown murder and mayhem in Nigeria's northeastern region. The Islamic militant group's name translates from the local Hausa language as "Western education is a sin."
Boko Haram militants often target schools and churches. In 2011 and 2012, Christmas attacks were blamed on them.
Jonathan created a new wing of the military to specifically deal with the insurgency.
In May, Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three northeastern states. He cited "terrorists" who have caused a "a near breakdown of law and order."
One of the three states is Yobe, where Sunday's attack took place.
It was the third attack on a school in four months in Yobe.
The ongoing violence in this predominantly Muslim region has claimed thousands of lives.
Meanwhile, human rights groups have accused the military of committing atrocities against civilians.
During a May trip to the country, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Nigeria "has acknowledged that there have been some problems" and was "working to try to control it."
In July in the town of Mamudo, Islamists threw explosives and sprayed gunfire into dormitories in the middle of the night, killing 41 students.
Presumed Boko Haram gunmen shot dead seven secondary school students and two teachers in Damaturu in June.
The gunmen, thought to be members of rebel sect Boko Haram, attacked one hostel, took some students outside before killing them and shot others trying to flee, people at the scene told Reuters.
"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," said one surviving student Idris, who would only give his first name.
"They came with guns around 1 a.m. (2400 GMT) and went directly to the male hostel and opened fire on them ... 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," said Ahmed Gujunba, a taxi driver who lives by the college.
speculativeoptimist
reply to post by LightningStrikesHere
That is a good reminder LSH, and in my mind I did separate the difference. I know these actions by the extremists do so much damage to the religion, and it is sad.
LightningStrikesHere
speculativeoptimist
reply to post by LightningStrikesHere
That is a good reminder LSH, and in my mind I did separate the difference. I know these actions by the extremists do so much damage to the religion, and it is sad.
Your words are spot on , i am currently working on a thread so that people will be more enlightend about this sort of stuff. I will list groups who are indeed "terrorist"hopefully so that people can see the sepration between a terror cell and true ISLAM forgive my grammar and spelling ,i am replying on my cell phone
dominicus
reply to post by speculativeoptimist
I dont know what boko haram is, but first thought was, "let me guess, Islam?"
Read the article, and indeed, its islamist militants.
Islam has got to go
Raxoxane
reply to post by LightningStrikesHere
Don't worry,all Muslims will never be judged by the actions of some twisted individuals-many many non-Muslims,myself included, has known some very fine Muslim folks,really kind,lovely folks who would never physically hurt anyone.In every basket(race,religion,culture,career and society) you get your good eggs,your bad eggs,and a few snake eggs,like these terrorists.
Visitor2012
Raxoxane
reply to post by LightningStrikesHere
Don't worry,all Muslims will never be judged by the actions of some twisted individuals-many many non-Muslims,myself included, has known some very fine Muslim folks,really kind,lovely folks who would never physically hurt anyone.In every basket(race,religion,culture,career and society) you get your good eggs,your bad eggs,and a few snake eggs,like these terrorists.
Why are the decent Muslims so silent? They could use a little positive PR right about now.