Gunmen shot dead two men near a community center showing soccer matches in northern Nigeria, days after the extremist group Boko Haram reportedly called for such places to be closed

Gunmen shot dead two men near a community center showing soccer matches in northern Nigeria, days after the extremist group Boko Haram reportedly called for such places to be closed, residents said Friday.

The killing late Thursday in Potiskum came three days after leaflets, said to be from Boko Haram, were circulated there warning people to stay away from such viewing centers, forcing some to shut down, residents told AFP.

"Two gunmen knocked on the door of one of the victims who lived next door from a soccer viewing center in Roseline neighborhood around 8:30 pm and shot him dead as soon as he stepped out of the house," one resident said.

"The gunmen then turned and shot another person standing nearby listening to a group of soccer fans discussing previous ... matches outside the soccer viewing center."

A police spokesman said he had not been notified of the incident in northeastern Nigeria, a region where Boko Haram has carried out scores of attacks.