Members of the militant Boko Haram sect on Monday set ablaze the Maiduguri Experimental School, a private school in northeast Nigeria’s Borno State, bringing to four the total number of schools razed by the group within a week.
According to media reports, the group had earlier burnt down public primary schools in areas including Budum, Abba Ganaram and Kulo Gomna, all in the state capital.
The group, with a driving principle to stop western education, has already denied hundreds of school children access to their classes.
Residents told a Xinhua reporter in the state that the Experimental School was set ablaze by unidentified persons.
“We heard an explosion in the school and everybody scampered for safety,” a resident said.
According to residents two classes were already on fire before the people mobilized to stop the fire from spreading.
A resident, Bala Mohammed who expressed shock at the development, said it was uncalled for since the school was owned by a private citizen and not the government.
“We were surprised at the fire because this is the first time a private school has been attacked since the terror attack began a few days back,” he said.
State police spokesperson Samuel Tizhe who confirmed the incident, said the police had opened investigation to uncover the perpetrators, but added that no arrest had been made.