Boko Haram Blamed As 13 Die In Nigeria College Shooting, Blast

Boko Haram Blamed As 13 Die In Nigeria College Shooting, Blast

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram insurgents have been blamed after at least 13 people died during a shoot-out between police and suspected suicide bombers at a teacher training college in northern Nigeria.

Kano State police commissioner Adelere Shinaba said the "insurgents", ran into the Federal College of Education after exchanging fire with police outside the grounds.

Most of the victims were in a lecture hall inside the Kano college, where the two gunmen opened fire on students.

One student who was having lunch nearby and asked not to be identified, said he saw the gunmen, dressed in black, and heard them shouting for all female students to lie face down.

"They were saying (in pidgin English), 'No be you say Boko Haram no they exist' (Is it not you who say Boko Haram doesn't exist?)," he added.

As shooting started, police opened fire and the explosives vest of one of the gunmen detonated. The other was shot dead, according to Shinaba.

"They were obviously suicide bombers," said Shinaba. "One of our officers shot at one of the gunmen and the explosives on him went off, killing him on the spot," he told AFP.

"Another gunman was also killed. Thirteen people were killed by the gunmen and 34 others have been taken to hospital with injuries."