An explosion in northeastern Nigeria struck an open-air World Cup viewing area where people had gathered to watch a television broadcast of Tuesday’s matches. The explosion took place in the state of Yobe, an area that has been under attack by Islamist militants Boko Haram. “Witnesses said [a] tricycle taxi was driven into the outdoor area soon after the Brazil-Mexico match started,” the Associated Press reports.
“Several pickup trucks carrying bodies arrived at the nearby General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital,” a hospital source told Reuters. Last week, other viewing sites were thought to be targeted and “the Nigerian authorities have warned residents in some states to avoid public screenings of the World Cup, fearing militant attacks,” the BBC reports.
