Terrorist attack in Nigeria kills 13 football fans

Several people have died from an explosion that occurred in the city of Damaturu, in the northern state of Yobe, in a room where several fans were concentrated to see the World Cup match on Tuesday. There are at least 13 dead and 20 wounded, according to a Reuters correspondent who is in the Hospital General Sani Abacha. Although no group has taken responsibility for the facts, the terrorists group Boko Haram has pointed to these local objectives of its violent insurgency.

Some of the injured have told BBC television that the attack was the work of a suicide bomber, while other witnesses have stated to Reuters that a man threw an explosive device and then fled. The Nigerian government warned people against attending mass meetings to see football matches to the danger of attacks.

Last Thursday, the Adamawa state authorities ordered the closure of all local bars broadcasting the football world cup. On June 1, at least 14 people died in a bomb attack targeting a bar in Mudi, in the region of Adamawa, televising a football game. In April, gunmen stormed a local Potiskum relaying the quarterfinals of the Champions League and killed two people.

The states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa are in a state of emergency since May 2013 due to the insurgency of Boko Haram radical Islamist militia. At least 2000 people have died in these northeastern states since the military intensified its violent campaign after police killed the founder of the group, Mohammed Yusuf. The current leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has warned that football and music is a Western ploy to distract Muslims from their faith.

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Posted by Jamshed Sindhu on Jun 19 2014. Filed under Africa. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.