Officials: Many casualties feared in explosion at outdoor venue in Nigerian city of Jos

JOS, Nigeria – Officials say many are feared dead after an explosion ripped through an outdoor venue crowded with soccer fans in the Nigerian city of Jos, four days after twin car bombs blamed on Islamic extremists killed at least 130 people in the central city.

Police confirmed the explosion which went off Saturday night, and an official of the National Emergency Management Agency said many are feared dead because the outdoor theatre was packed to capacity. The venue is near the bustling marketplace targeted in Tuesday’s attack.

Islamic extremists threatening to sell nearly 300 abducted schoolgirls into slavery have been waging a two-pronged campaign of urban bombings and rural attacks on northeastern villages this past week in apparent defiance to an international campaign to rescue the girls and wage total war on the militants.