KANO, Nigeria: Boko Haram attacks on football fans have forced the closure of centres for watching the World Cup in northeast Nigeria, a state government official said yesterday.
The government of Adamawa state said it had been warned by the local military that the so-called “viewing centres” — where large crowds congregate to watch matches on big screens — were possible targets.
“Based on this advice, we have directed all soccer viewing centres across the state to close down indefinitely,” said Ahmed Sajo, spokesman for the state governor, Murtala Nyako. The centres have been targeted before in Nigeria, where football has a fanatical following and the national team — the “Super Eagles” — are playing in the showpiece tournament in Brazil.
In May, three people were killed in a blast outside a viewing centre showing the European Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the central city of Jos.
In April, suspected Boko Haram gunmen stormed a packed venue in Potiskum, in northeast Yobe state, shooting dead two people as they watched Champions League quarter-final matches.
Earlier this month, at least 40 people were killed when a bomb went off after a football match in the town of Mubi in Adamawa.
AFP
