Mubi attack death toll unclear

The details of an attack on a football venue in the northeastern Nigerian town of Mubi remained murky into the early hours of Monday morning. Local authorities confirmed the previous evening that an explosion had caused a heavy death toll without being able to give exact figures.

A policeman speaking to news agency AFP estimated that at least 40 lives were claimed.

However, the Reuters news agency quoted a security source as saying the death toll remained uncertain.

"So far we have 14 dead while 12 are injured, some of them critically," Adamawa state police spokesperson Usman Abubakar told Reuters.

It also remained unclear whether the bomb had targeted a local television viewing center for football or the football match itself. It reportedly exploded near an area where there are also a number of beer halls.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Mubi is roughly 845 kilometers (525 miles) northeast of the Nigerian capital Abuja and lies close to the country's border with Cameroon.

Nigeria has seen a sharp rise in attacks by the Isamist militant group Boko Haram in recent weeks. The terrorist organization has staged repeated attacks on the civilian population in a bid to overthrow the government and usher in a (strict) Islamic state. The organization operates in the northeastern region of Nigeria. Its name translates to "Western education is sin."

kms/hc (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)