₦airaland Forum

khalebzy:
Intelligence reports indicated that foreigners planned to cross into Nigeria to vote, Interior MinisterPatrick Abba Morotold the BBC.The presidential and parliamentary polls are expected tobe the most tightly contested since military rule ended in1999.Nigeria is also battling an insurgency along its northern-eastern border.Regional forces have been recapturing territory from theBoko Haraminsurgents in the last six weeks.A government statement said the borders would be shut from midnight on Wednesday to midnight on Saturday, local time, to ensure the vote went off peacefully.PresidentGoodluck Jonathanis facing a strong challenge from ex-military rulerMuhammadu Buhari.Thousands of Nigerians who fled the six-year insurgency, and are taking refuge in neighbouring states,would not be able to vote, reports the BBC'sHabiba Adamufrom the capital, Abuja.Boko Haram has carried out cross-border raids in Cameroon, Niger and Chad.It has denounced the elections as un-Islamic.A state of emergency is in force inBorno,YobeandAdamawa, three Nigerian states where Boko Haram is strongest.

Source: BBC NEWS