Dramaturu bomb attack spurs on Super Eagles

The Super Eagles said
Wednesday that a bomb attack that killed at
least 21 people watching a World Cup game in
Nigeria gives them added determination to do
well in Brazil.

The bomb exploded in the midst of a crowd
watching Brazil play Mexico on a giant screen
in Damataru, capital of Yobe state, on Tuesday
night.

The players held a minute’s silence before they
started training under the floodlights in
Campinas, outside Sao Paulo, on Wednesday.

“It’s unfortunate, especially as it concerns
football,” said team media officer Ben Alaiya of
the attack.

“It further boosts the determination of the
players to do well against Bosnia and win for
them because it’s the love of football that led
to so many people dying, while they were
watching the game. It’s sad that it happened.”

Nigeria play their next Group F game against
Bosnia in Cuiaba on Saturday.
Nearly all of the Nigerian squad play in
European and other foreign teams. But Alaiya
said football is a unifying force in the West
African nation.

“We want to win, want to do well for those
lives that were lost and for the Nigerian people
who have seen football as a force to bring
them together all the times,” added the
spokesman.

“It’s shocking that some people could engage
in such callous acts against their fellow human
beings at a time that the world is in
celebration mood for the biggest sport in the
world.

“Our heart goes out to them. We feel very
pained and we want to win for them. Even if
we win the trophy it will not bring back lives
that were lost.

At least 21 people were killed in the football
bomb attack, according to a medical source,
although state police put the death toll 14.

Nigeria’s police advised fans to stay away from
public venues showing matches.
Previous deadly attacks on big screen venues
in Nigeria blamed on Boko Haram militants
have prompted at least two states to close
such centres on security grounds.
Nigeria, who won last year’s Africa Cup of
Nations, started their World Cup campaign
with a turgid 0-0 draw against Iran in Curitiba
on Monday.

The Super Eagles have played in five of the past
six World Cups. But after reaching the second
round in 1994 and 1998, have taken just two
points from their past six matches in the
finals.