Release International

The student massacre in Mubi, Nigeria, was religiously motivated, believe partners of Release International. 40 students have been confirmed dead following an attack on a college hostel in the north-east. It's feared the death toll could rise.

Partners of Release, which serves the persecuted church, warn the final number killed could rise. They are describing the attack, on a predominantly Christian neighbourhood in Adamawa state, as 'religiously motivated' and relate it to attempts to impose radical Sharia law in northern Nigeria.

'This appalling massacre is consistent with the pattern of attacks against Christians in Nigeria,' says Release UK director Colin King. 'The conflict in Nigeria has overlapping political, tribal and religious dimensions. But overarching the recent troubles is the agenda of Islamist militants to establish their version of Sharia law across the north of the country.

'For several years now, Release has been monitoring attacks which have had the intended effect of driving Christians, and ethnic groups considered to be Christian, from the north. The government must step up security to protect its Christian minority in vulnerable areas.'

Some media reports link the attack to the fiercely contested student union election at the college. Police said the dead included several Muslims and two security guards.

Men in military uniform went door-to-door shooting students or cutting their throats with machetes on Monday night. Some sources said the attackers demanded the students recite lines before killing them; others said they were asked to confirm their names from a list. According to the BBC, they left bodies in lines outside the hostel.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack - though many suspect Islamist militants Boko Haram or sympathisers.

Police arrested 156 suspected members of Boko Haram in Mubi last week - and killed a senior leader. They recovered homemade bombs, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and assault rifles during a search of the college student halls. One source told Release that the attackers impersonated security forces claiming to be carrying out a further search for arms at the college.

Boko Haram burnt down mobile phone masts in Mubi and other areas last month, making it harder to get information out of the town. And in January, gunmen killed 21 ethnic Christians in Mubi.

Mubi is now under curfew and the college closed. Some students have fled the area. The community is close to the city of Maiduguri in neighbouring Borno state, which has been a major stronghold of Boko Haram.

The Islamist group is reported to have killed more than 1,400 people in northern and central Nigeria since 2010. Its stated agenda is to impose Sharia law on Nigeria, but some observers believe it may be seeking to create an Islamist breakaway state in the north.