The Kenya government has denied claims that 166 students from Garissa University are missing since last week’s attack by al-Shabaab.

Lecturers from Garissa University College, have claimed that there are still 166 students unaccounted for, and have speculated that al-Shabaab could have kidnapped them.

Muga K’Olale, Secretary General of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) told Kenyan media of the lecturers’ fears on Tuesday.

“We know 152 students to be dead and 166 are unaccounted for,” he said.

“We fear that they might have been kidnapped by al-Shabaab, and the government should come clean about their whereabouts,” he added.

The government quickly denied the claims, calling them "unfounded rumours". Education Minister Joseph Kaimenyi released a statement dismissing the claims, saying it was “unfortunate” that the UASU made such allegations, and that they would only “exacerbate pain and suffering of parents and relatives in mourning”, the BBC reports.

The Kenyan government has put the official student death toll from the attack at 142.