Police confirm 21 dead in Yobe viewing centre explosion

The Police in Yobe on Wednesday said 21 people died in the bomb explosion that occurred in a football viewing centre on Tuesday night in Damaturu.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Nansak Chegwam, also said 27 people, who sustained injury, had been taken to different hospitals for treatment.

He said the explosive device was kept in a car parked near the viewing centre which later exploded.

He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Markus Danladi, has advised the public to be conscious of abandoned objects and cars.

He also said the police had ordered the closure of all public viewing centres in the state for security reasons.

The victims were watching one of the World Cup matches involving Brazil and Mexico national teams when the explosion occurred some minutes after 8pm.

The attack was believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram insurgents.

The blast was the latest in a series at football viewing centres in Nigeria blamed on Boko Haram militants, who have been waging a deadly insurgency in the country’s north since 2009.

Football is Nigeria’s national sport and has a fanatical following but recent blasts targeting fans in northeastern Adamawa and the central state of Plateau have seen the authorities close big screen venues on security grounds.