( CNN ) -- Under the cover of darkness , gunmen approached a college dormitory in a rural Nigerian town and opened fire on students who were sleeping . At least 40 students died , according to the News Agency of Nigeria . The gunmen fired indiscriminately on the male dorm , said Lazarus Eli , a military spokesman . The attack took place at about 1 a.m. Sunday at the College of Agriculture Gujba . `` So far all evidence points to the Boko Haram , '' Eli told CNN by phone . There was no immediate claim of responsibility . 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 . Nigerian President Goodluck 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 . '' CNN 's Nana Karikari-apau contributed to this report .
NEW : At least 40 students were killed by gunmen who attacked them as they slept . The attack is the third on schools in the region since June . A man holds a child after he was rescued from rubble following an earthquake that hit Kathmandu, Nepal, May 25. Since 2009 Boko Haram has targeted schools , churches and police stations .