Islamist extremists shot dead at least 40 students on Sunday while they slept in their dormitories at an agricultural college in north-east Nigeria, hospital officials said, dpa reported.
Five others were injured in the nighttime assault on the College of Agriculture in Yobe state, local hospital director Garba Fika told the Nigerian news agency NAN.
State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam visited the hospital in the state capital, Damaturu.
Security forces in search of victims scoured buildings heavily damaged in the attack throughout the afternoon, the Daily Times newspaper reported.
Many of the students have fled the college fearing further attacks by extremist Islamist sect Boko Haram.
Yobe is one of three northern states that Nigeria's government placed under a state of emergency in May to curb violent attacks by Boko Haram members.
Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sinful," has been active in the Muslim north of the West African country, carrying out attacks aimed primarily at Christians.
Since 2009, more than 1,500 people have been killed in the violence.
Earlier this year, militants said they would also go after schools and universities.
Many schools in Yobe were closed following Boko Haram's attack on a school near Damaturu in July that killed 29 students and three teachers. The schools were reopened two weeks ago.