A police officer and a nurse said that a bombing at a football pitch in Nigeria's restive northeast "killed at least 40 people on Sunday in an area previously attacked by Boko Haram Islamists," according to the AFP. The blast "hit the town of Mubi in Adamawa state." An officer in Mubi who requested anonymity said, "There has been a bomb explosion at a football field this evening and so far more than 40 people have been killed." The policeman's account "was confirmed by a nurse at the Mubi General Hospital, who also requested anonymity, as the health worker was not authorised to discuss the attack with the media." The bomb exploded at roughly 6:30pm at the pitch in Mubi's Kabang area and "targeted fans who were trying to leave the field after watching a local club match" (AFP, 6/2). SKY NEWS reported "it was not immediately clear if players were among the casualties, but a police officer and a nurse said it was thought most of the victims were supporters." Muhammad Hassan, a witness, said that "the blast apparently came from within the crowd that was leaving." Hassan: "Women and children were caught up in the blast" (SKY NEWS, 6/2). The AFP reported Nigeria’s military on Monday said that "it had made an arrest in connection with the bombing." Defense spokesperson Chris Olukolade said, "A key suspect in the terror bomb explosion that rocked Kabang community in Mubi, Adamawa state has been arrested by troops who cordoned [off] the area in swift response to the explosion" (AFP, 6/2). REUTERS' Ola & Ande wrote a bomb blast targeting a TV viewing center for football in northeast Nigeria "killed at least 14 people and wounded 12 on Sunday." There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast in Gavan in the Mubi area of Adamawa state. Boko Haram "would be the prime suspect." Police spokesperson for Adamawa state Usman Abubakar said, "So far we have 14 dead while 12 are injured, some of them critically." He "had no further details" (REUTERS, 6/1).
