Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram Islamists stormed a packed viewing centre in Nigeria's restive northeast and shot dead two people watching Champions League matches, police said Thursday.
The centre was showing the two quarter-final matches between defending champions Bayern Munich and Manchester United, and Atletico Madrid-Barcelona, on Wednesday when it was attacked.
"The gunmen came in a car and opened fire outside the viewing centre and sped off," Yobe State police commissioner Sanusi Rufa'i told AFP of the incident in Potiskum, a hotbed of the insurgency.
"One person died on the spot while another died later at the hospital. Several other people were injured, some critically," he added.
Residents said the centre was full at the time, with those who could not get a space inside hanging around the windows to watch the second-leg games, which saw Bayern and Atletico reach the last four.
Rufa'i did not directly blame Boko Haram for the attack but the hardline group has been known for preaching against football as part of its agenda to impose strict Islamic law in northern Nigeria.
In several video clips, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has described football and music as a Western ploy to distract Muslims from their religion.
In April 2012, gunmen killed two men at a viewing centre in Potiskum, days after Boko Haram warned people in leaflets to stay away from such centres and calling for such places to be closed.
Football is Nigeria's national sport and the country's national team, the Super Eagles, are the reigning African champions.
English Premier League football is wildly popular, with many Nigerians supporting top clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, whose matches are shown live on television.
AFP
Thu Apr 10 2014
![Gunmen kill two watching Champions League in Nigeria Gunmen kill two watching Champions League in Nigeria](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2012-12/81356094752_295x200.jpg)
![Ahli ekonomi yakin pertumbuhan KDNK sekitar 5.8 peratus pada suku kedua 2024 Ahli ekonomi yakin pertumbuhan KDNK sekitar 5.8 peratus pada suku kedua 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/81717305735_EkonomiMalaysia.jpg)
Ahli ekonomi yakin pertumbuhan KDNK sekitar 5.8 peratus pada suku kedua 2024
Kalangan ahli ekonomi yakin KDNK Malaysia bagi suku kedua 2024 akan berkembang pada 5.8 peratus berbanding 4.2 peratus pada suku pertama tahun ini.
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [15 Ogos 2024]
Antara fokus AWANI Pagi bersama Nursyazwani Saiful Sham dan Afiezy Azaman
- Mayat lelaki di jambatan Klang dipercayai YouTuber Nidza Afham
- BNM denda Maybank, CIMB kerana gangguan perkhidmatan berpanjangan
- JIWA SME: Inovasi kuih sejuk beku jadi kudapan jemaah tunai umrah
#AWANInews #AWANIpagi
- Mayat lelaki di jambatan Klang dipercayai YouTuber Nidza Afham
- BNM denda Maybank, CIMB kerana gangguan perkhidmatan berpanjangan
- JIWA SME: Inovasi kuih sejuk beku jadi kudapan jemaah tunai umrah
#AWANInews #AWANIpagi
![Cisco akan kurangkan 7 peratus tenaga kerja globalnya Cisco akan kurangkan 7 peratus tenaga kerja globalnya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723681507_Ciscologo.jpg)
Cisco akan kurangkan 7 peratus tenaga kerja globalnya
Langkah mengurangkan kakitangan itu dijangka melibatkan kos pra-cukai sehingga AS$1 bilion.
Jiwa SME: Kuih tradisonal sejuk beku 'diterbangkan' ke Tanah Suci
Inovasi pembuatan makanan sejuk beku, terutama kuih muih tradisional telah berjaya membawa produk itu ke peringkat global, terutama dalam memenuhi citarasa jemaah haji dan umrah rakyat Malaysia di Tanah Suci Mekah dan Madinah.
![Gol sulung Mbappe bantu Real Madrid juarai Piala Super UEFA Gol sulung Mbappe bantu Real Madrid juarai Piala Super UEFA](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723679998_KylianMbappe.jpg)
Gol sulung Mbappe bantu Real Madrid juarai Piala Super UEFA
"Ia adalah malam yang hebat. Ia adalah detik yang hebat untuk saya. Dan kami memenangi kejuaraan, yang penting - di Madrid anda perlu sentiasa menang."
![“I love you Am, bahagialah di syurga firdausi” - Aufahanie “I love you Am, bahagialah di syurga firdausi” - Aufahanie](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723679258_AufahanieNidzaAfh.jpg)
“I love you Am, bahagialah di syurga firdausi” - Aufahanie
Air mata Aufahanie sudah kering meratapi pemergian abang tercinta, Nidza Afham yang ditemui meninggal dunia selepas dilaporkan hilang.
Konsert jelajah: Taylor Swift teruskan konsert London selepas ancaman keganasan
Taylor Swift akan meneruskan persembahan di London pada Khamis, meneruskan jelajah konsert terbesar dunia di tengah-tengah kebimbangan keselamatan susulan cubaan serangan Daesh memaksa pembatalan tarikh konsert di Vienna, minggu lalu.
Taliban rai ulang tahun ketiga pemerintahan Afghanistan
Kerajaan Taliban semalam meraikan ulang tahun ketiga pemerintahannya di Afghanistan dengan perarakan tentera yang memberi penghormatan kepada bom buatan sendiri yang digunakan ketika peperangan, pesawat pejuang dan perbarisan pasukan keselamatan.
![Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723677980_MounirNasraoui.jpg)
Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan
Mounir Nasraoui, bapa kepada Lamine Yamal, ditikam pada lewat Rabu di tempat letak kereta di bandar Mataro di timur laut Sepanyol.
Warga AS dihukum penjara 15 hari di Rusia kerana bersikap samseng
Mahkamah Moscow menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 15 hari kepada warga Amerika Syarikat Joseph Tater pada Rabu kerana bersikap samseng.