More than 20 football fans killed in Nigeria suicide bomb blast

2014-06-18 4

More than 20 people including young children have been killed in a bomb attack in Nigeria as they were watching a World Cup match between Brazil and Mexico.

Another 30 are seriously injured with many having lost limbs.
The blast happened in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state in the northeast of the country. Witnesses say a suicide bomber in a tricycle taxi detonated explosives.

Survivor, Musa Mohammed, described the moment it happened: “It was just like a flash of light and many people were killed. Some had to be amputated and suchlike. But thank God mine was a lesser injury.”

No group has said it was behind the blast. However many outside viewing centres to watch the football had already been closed down because of fears of an attack by Boko Haram. The extremist group believes football is “un-Islamic.”

The region is at the heart of a five year insurgency by the al-Qaeda-linked group.