A spokesman for the college, the Federal Polytechnic in Mubi, could not be reached; communications are difficult in the area because Boko Haram has blown up many of the region’s cellphone towers. But the group is known more for targeting two or three members of the government, army or police at a time.

Image Credit... The New York Times

Mubi, which is in Adamawa State, has been under an afternoon-to-morning curfew because of the Boko Haram-related violence, and the campus killings took place during the early morning.

The attackers “were selective in their operation,” Mr. Okeke said. “They had the names of the victims. When they entered the compound, they asked everybody to come out. Then they locked all the doors.

“After they asked the names, they took them aside and shot them,” Mr. Okeke said, although many were reportedly spared.

“How should they know their names?” he added. “This is what we want to know, whether it was related to the elections.”