Thursday, March 7, 2019
Video - Nigeria struggles to rescue 20,000 girls from Mali sex trade
Nigeria is struggling to bring home an estimated 20,000 girls trapped in Mali. The victims of the sex trade are kept in appalling conditions. Officials say collusion between law enforcement agents and traffickers is hampering the rescue efforts.
Related stories: Video - Nigerian women trafficked to Europe for prostitution at 'crisis level'
Nigeria's international sex-trafficking ring
20,000 Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali for prostitution
Women from Nigeria forced to become sex workers during 2018 World Cup in Russia
Blessing Obuson thought Russia's soccer World Cup would be an opportunity to find a job, so the 19-year-old flew into Moscow from Nigeria last June.
She arrived in the country on a fan ID, which allowed visa-free entry to World Cup spectators with match tickets but did not permit them to work.
Despite that, Ms Obuson said she had hoped to work as a shop assistant to provide for her two-year-old daughter and younger siblings back in Nigeria.
However, she said, she was locked in a flat on the outskirts of Moscow and forced into sex work along with 11 other Nigerian women.
They were supervised by a madam, also from Nigeria.
She said the madam confiscated her passport and told her she'd only get it back once she worked off a fictional debt of $50,000.
Ms Obuson told her story to a rare English-speaking client, who then informed anti-slavery activists, who later rescued her.
According to her lawyer, and statements from prosecutors, two Nigerians were arrested and charged with human trafficking after a sting operation in which they agreed to sell Ms Obuson for two million roubles (about $43,000) to a police officer posing as a client.
'They spit in your face'
Ms Obuson's case is not isolated. Reuters met with eight Nigerian women aged between 16 and 22 who said they were brought into Russia on fan IDs and forced into sex work.
All said they had endured violence.
"They don't give you food for days, they slap you, they beat you, they spit in your face … It's like a cage," said a 21-year old woman, who declined to be named.
In September, a Nigerian woman was killed by a man who refused to pay for sex, Russian police said.
The Nigerian embassy later identified her as 22-year-old Alifat Momoh, who had come to Russia from Nigeria with a fan ID.
Russian police said 1,863 Nigerians who entered the country with fan IDs had not left by January 1, the date when the IDs expired.
Kenny Kehindo, who works with several Moscow NGOs to help sex trafficking victims, estimated that more than 2,000 Nigerian women were brought in on fan IDs.
Neither Russian police nor the Nigerian embassy in Moscow replied to requests for comment. A Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesman also did not respond to text messages and phone calls requesting comment.
"Many are still in slavery," said Mr Kehindo.
He said he had helped about 40 women return to Nigeria.
He called for more cooperation between the authorities and anti-trafficking NGOs during major sporting events — including at the 2022 Qatar World, where a fan ID system was also being considered.
Anti-slavery group Alternativa said its helpline had fielded calls from Nigerian women held in St Petersburg and other World Cup host cities.
While a prosecution has been launched in Ms Obuson's case, police have been unable to act against suspected traffickers in other cases due to a lack of evidence.
"A lot of girls are still out there," said Ms Obuson.
Reuters
Related stories: The illegal sex trafficking trail between Nigeria and Europe
Video - Nigerian women trafficked to Europe for prostitution at 'crisis level'
Nigeria's international sex-trafficking ring
She arrived in the country on a fan ID, which allowed visa-free entry to World Cup spectators with match tickets but did not permit them to work.
Despite that, Ms Obuson said she had hoped to work as a shop assistant to provide for her two-year-old daughter and younger siblings back in Nigeria.
However, she said, she was locked in a flat on the outskirts of Moscow and forced into sex work along with 11 other Nigerian women.
They were supervised by a madam, also from Nigeria.
She said the madam confiscated her passport and told her she'd only get it back once she worked off a fictional debt of $50,000.
Ms Obuson told her story to a rare English-speaking client, who then informed anti-slavery activists, who later rescued her.
According to her lawyer, and statements from prosecutors, two Nigerians were arrested and charged with human trafficking after a sting operation in which they agreed to sell Ms Obuson for two million roubles (about $43,000) to a police officer posing as a client.
'They spit in your face'
Ms Obuson's case is not isolated. Reuters met with eight Nigerian women aged between 16 and 22 who said they were brought into Russia on fan IDs and forced into sex work.
All said they had endured violence.
"They don't give you food for days, they slap you, they beat you, they spit in your face … It's like a cage," said a 21-year old woman, who declined to be named.
In September, a Nigerian woman was killed by a man who refused to pay for sex, Russian police said.
The Nigerian embassy later identified her as 22-year-old Alifat Momoh, who had come to Russia from Nigeria with a fan ID.
Russian police said 1,863 Nigerians who entered the country with fan IDs had not left by January 1, the date when the IDs expired.
Kenny Kehindo, who works with several Moscow NGOs to help sex trafficking victims, estimated that more than 2,000 Nigerian women were brought in on fan IDs.
Neither Russian police nor the Nigerian embassy in Moscow replied to requests for comment. A Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesman also did not respond to text messages and phone calls requesting comment.
"Many are still in slavery," said Mr Kehindo.
He said he had helped about 40 women return to Nigeria.
He called for more cooperation between the authorities and anti-trafficking NGOs during major sporting events — including at the 2022 Qatar World, where a fan ID system was also being considered.
Anti-slavery group Alternativa said its helpline had fielded calls from Nigerian women held in St Petersburg and other World Cup host cities.
While a prosecution has been launched in Ms Obuson's case, police have been unable to act against suspected traffickers in other cases due to a lack of evidence.
"A lot of girls are still out there," said Ms Obuson.
Reuters
Related stories: The illegal sex trafficking trail between Nigeria and Europe
Video - Nigerian women trafficked to Europe for prostitution at 'crisis level'
Nigeria's international sex-trafficking ring
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Mother of Nigeria footballer Samuel Kalu released by kidnappers
Ozuruonye Juliet Kalu was abducted on 27 February as she travelled home in the south-eastern city of Abia.
It is unclear whether a reported ransom was paid, but authorities confirmed her release around 2300 GMT on Monday.
"It is true that she was released to her family," Godfrey Ogbonna, of Abia State police, told BBC Sport.
"I can also confirm that investigations are ongoing to arrest those responsible.
"We will make a public statement as soon as more details emerge but for now, she is safe and reunited with her family at home."
Despite the kidnapping, Kalu has been included in Bordeaux's squad for their rescheduled French Ligue 1 fixture against Montpellier on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old, who was named in Nigeria's squad on Monday for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Seychelles and a friendly versus Egypt, has scored once in five appearances for the Super Eagles since his debut last year.
Kidnappings - more often of oil workers, the rich and famous - are a regular occurrence in Nigeria, but footballers and their families are increasingly being targeted.
Current Nigeria captain John Mikel Obi's father was kidnapped for the second time in seven years in June, before being released after a ransom of 10 million naira (about $27,500) was paid.
In 2008, the brother of former Everton defender Joseph Yobo was kidnapped before being released two weeks later.
Kalu joined Bordeaux from Belgian club KAA Gent in August 2018.
By Oluwashina Okeleji
BBC
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
John Mikel Obi left out of Super Eagles squad
Captain John Mikel Obi is the most notable absentee from Nigeria's squad for their final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Seychelles and a friendly against Egypt later this month.
The 31-year-old, who has been impressive at English championship club Middlesbrough, has not played for his country since he captained the Super Eagles at last year's World Cup in Russia.
Despite public assurances from coach Gernot Rohr that Mikel would make a return, the player has been left out of the 23-man squad for the home fixtures in Asaba on 22 and 26 March respectively.
But the door appears to remain open for the former Chelsea star.
"The coach is very happy that Mikel is playing well for Middlesbrough at a very good level," team spokesman Toyin Ibitoye told BBC Sport.
"He's definitely part of the team but coach Rohr believes he has to take things easy with him so as not to overload him," Ibitoye added.
Rohr has handed maiden call-ups to uncapped Denmark-based striker Paul Onuachu and under-20 defender Valentine Ozornwafor, while there is a recall for former U-17 World Cup winner Victor Osimhen.
Struggling Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been overlooked after failing to score a goal for club or country since September, but England-based quintet of Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, Semi Ajayi and Oghenekaro Etebo are included.
Also present is the experienced quartet of Odion Ighalo, joint-top scorer in qualifying with six goals, Troost-Ekong, Ahmed Musa and John Ogu.
Champions in 2013, Nigeria have already secured qualification for this year's tournament in Egypt after failing to reach back-to-back events in 2015 and 2017.
Nigeria 23-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Katsina United); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey); Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba); Chidozie Awaziem (Rizespor, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (Udinese, Italy); Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn, Germany)
Midfielders: Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Victor Osimhen (Charleroi SC, Belgium); Moses Simon (Levante, Spain); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray, Turkey); Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England); Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux, France); Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjyland, Denmark)
By Oluwashina Okeleji
BBC
The 31-year-old, who has been impressive at English championship club Middlesbrough, has not played for his country since he captained the Super Eagles at last year's World Cup in Russia.
Despite public assurances from coach Gernot Rohr that Mikel would make a return, the player has been left out of the 23-man squad for the home fixtures in Asaba on 22 and 26 March respectively.
But the door appears to remain open for the former Chelsea star.
"The coach is very happy that Mikel is playing well for Middlesbrough at a very good level," team spokesman Toyin Ibitoye told BBC Sport.
"He's definitely part of the team but coach Rohr believes he has to take things easy with him so as not to overload him," Ibitoye added.
Rohr has handed maiden call-ups to uncapped Denmark-based striker Paul Onuachu and under-20 defender Valentine Ozornwafor, while there is a recall for former U-17 World Cup winner Victor Osimhen.
Struggling Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been overlooked after failing to score a goal for club or country since September, but England-based quintet of Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, Semi Ajayi and Oghenekaro Etebo are included.
Also present is the experienced quartet of Odion Ighalo, joint-top scorer in qualifying with six goals, Troost-Ekong, Ahmed Musa and John Ogu.
Champions in 2013, Nigeria have already secured qualification for this year's tournament in Egypt after failing to reach back-to-back events in 2015 and 2017.
Nigeria 23-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Katsina United); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey); Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba); Chidozie Awaziem (Rizespor, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (Udinese, Italy); Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn, Germany)
Midfielders: Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Victor Osimhen (Charleroi SC, Belgium); Moses Simon (Levante, Spain); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray, Turkey); Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England); Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux, France); Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjyland, Denmark)
By Oluwashina Okeleji
BBC
Monday, March 4, 2019
More than 50 missing after pipeline expolsion in Nigeria
More than 50 people are missing after a leaking oil pipeline exploded and caused a stampede in southern Nigeria, a local official said on Saturday.
According to the spokesman for the the Nembe Chiefs Council, Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, the blast early on Friday caused massive oil spillage in the Nembe kingdom in Bayelsa state.
The Nembe trunk line is operated by the Port Harcourt-based Aiteo Group and carries crude oil to the Bonny export terminal. Aiteo has yet to comment on the explosion. It was not immediately clear if the pipeline has been shut down.
Video obtained by local media shows a large blaze from the ruptured pipeline at night as villagers look on. “If they turn off the oil well from the station, the pressure inside the pipeline would reduce, causing the flame to burn out,” one person is heard in the background explaining.
The Niger Delta is highly polluted. Nigerian oil companies usually assert that the majority of oil spills are caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining.
Fatal accidents caused by leaking pipelines are common. In January, an overturned oil tanker exploded in Odukpani in Cross River state while dozens of people were scooping up the leaking fuel. Police said at least 12 people were killed while some witnesses estimated up to 60 were dead.
Hundreds of people have died in similar accidents in recent years in Africa’s largest oil producing country as impoverished people risk their lives to collect fuel leaking from pipelines or trucks.
By Eric Oteng
Africa News
According to the spokesman for the the Nembe Chiefs Council, Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, the blast early on Friday caused massive oil spillage in the Nembe kingdom in Bayelsa state.
The Nembe trunk line is operated by the Port Harcourt-based Aiteo Group and carries crude oil to the Bonny export terminal. Aiteo has yet to comment on the explosion. It was not immediately clear if the pipeline has been shut down.
Video obtained by local media shows a large blaze from the ruptured pipeline at night as villagers look on. “If they turn off the oil well from the station, the pressure inside the pipeline would reduce, causing the flame to burn out,” one person is heard in the background explaining.
The Niger Delta is highly polluted. Nigerian oil companies usually assert that the majority of oil spills are caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining.
Fatal accidents caused by leaking pipelines are common. In January, an overturned oil tanker exploded in Odukpani in Cross River state while dozens of people were scooping up the leaking fuel. Police said at least 12 people were killed while some witnesses estimated up to 60 were dead.
Hundreds of people have died in similar accidents in recent years in Africa’s largest oil producing country as impoverished people risk their lives to collect fuel leaking from pipelines or trucks.
By Eric Oteng
Africa News
Friday, March 1, 2019
Video - Buhari says Nigeria elections were free and fair
President Muhammadu Buhari says there are no doubts as to his re-election. Buhari spoke at the electoral commission ceremony to confirmed his victory.The incumbent secured 55 percent of the votes cast. His challenger Atiku Abubakar is contesting the results in court. President Buhari has denied all claims of rigging and electoral malpractices.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Video - President Buhari's win challenged by Nigeria’s opposition
President Muhammadu Buhari has been reelected in Saturday's polls, but his main opposition rival is calling the results "rigged". The runner-up from the People's Democratic Party Atiku Abubakar says he'll challenge the outcome in court. Nigeria's courts have tended not to favour opposition parties in the past.
Video - Opinion divided amongst Nigerians on election results
Even as president Muhammadu Buhari calls for unity - some Nigerians are celebrating Buhari's win, while others are not very happy with the results.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Video - Nigerians siphoning off oil for survival
In Nigeria, unemployment and poverty are forcing many young people to turn to crime and they are tapping into the country's rich resources of oil. Africa's largest producer of crude oil is losing millions of dollars because of theft, but some locals say the illicit way is their only means of survival.
Buhari re-elected as president of Nigeria
Nigeria's electoral commission has declared incumbent Muhammadu Buhari the winner of the country's presidential elections.
The announcement in the early hours of Wednesday means the 76-year-old has won a second four-year term at the helm of Africa's largest economy and most populous country.
Hours after Buhari was declared winner, opposition leader Atiku Abubakar rejected the results and vowed a legal challenge.
Buhari, of the ruling All Progressives Congress party, secured 56 percent, or 15.2m votes, in the February 23 polls, Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said.
His main opponent, former vice president Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), received 41 percent or 11.3m votes.
"Muhammadu Buhari ... is hereby declared winner," Yakubu said.
Hours after the announcement, Abubakar issued a statement rejecting the results.
"It is clear that there were manifest and premeditated malpractices in many states which negate the results announced..." he said.
"I hereby reject the result of the February 23, 2019, sham election and will be challenging it in court."
The PDP has alleged electoral malpractice, including vote-rigging, in the polls, which were delayed by a week at the 11th hour.
Voting was marked by hours-long delays and deadly violence that observers said kept some people away from the polls.
Buhari's party has said the opposition was trying to discredit the returns from Saturday's election.
The accusations have ratcheted up tensions in a country whose six decades of independence have been marked by long periods of military rule, coups and secessionist wars.
'Marred by violence'
Observers from the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations appealed to all parties to await the official results, expected later this week, before filing complaints.
The candidate with the most votes nationwide is declared the winner as long as they have at least one-quarter of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states and the capital, Abuja. Otherwise, there is a second-round runoff.
Buhari, 76, secured enough votes to meet both requirements.
He took office in 2015 and sought a second term with pledges to fight corruption and overhaul Nigeria's ailing road and rail network.
Atiku, 72, had said he would aim to double the size of the economy to $900bn by 2025, privatise the state oil company, and expand the role of the private sector.
Voting took place after a week-long delay which the election commission said was due to its inability to get ballots and results sheets to all parts of the country.
The vote - Africa's largest democratic exercise - was also marred by violence with at least 47 people killed since Saturday, according to the Situation Room, a monitoring organisation linking various civil society groups.
Some deaths resulted from clashes between groups allied to the leading parties and the police over the theft of ballot boxes and allegations of vote fraud.
Police have not yet provided official casualty figures.
More than 260 people have been killed since the start of the election campaign in October.
The toll so far is lower than in earlier elections, but the worst violence occurred previously only after results were announced.
Al Jazeera
The announcement in the early hours of Wednesday means the 76-year-old has won a second four-year term at the helm of Africa's largest economy and most populous country.
Hours after Buhari was declared winner, opposition leader Atiku Abubakar rejected the results and vowed a legal challenge.
Buhari, of the ruling All Progressives Congress party, secured 56 percent, or 15.2m votes, in the February 23 polls, Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said.
His main opponent, former vice president Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), received 41 percent or 11.3m votes.
"Muhammadu Buhari ... is hereby declared winner," Yakubu said.
Hours after the announcement, Abubakar issued a statement rejecting the results.
"It is clear that there were manifest and premeditated malpractices in many states which negate the results announced..." he said.
"I hereby reject the result of the February 23, 2019, sham election and will be challenging it in court."
The PDP has alleged electoral malpractice, including vote-rigging, in the polls, which were delayed by a week at the 11th hour.
Voting was marked by hours-long delays and deadly violence that observers said kept some people away from the polls.
Buhari's party has said the opposition was trying to discredit the returns from Saturday's election.
The accusations have ratcheted up tensions in a country whose six decades of independence have been marked by long periods of military rule, coups and secessionist wars.
'Marred by violence'
Observers from the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations appealed to all parties to await the official results, expected later this week, before filing complaints.
The candidate with the most votes nationwide is declared the winner as long as they have at least one-quarter of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states and the capital, Abuja. Otherwise, there is a second-round runoff.
Buhari, 76, secured enough votes to meet both requirements.
He took office in 2015 and sought a second term with pledges to fight corruption and overhaul Nigeria's ailing road and rail network.
Atiku, 72, had said he would aim to double the size of the economy to $900bn by 2025, privatise the state oil company, and expand the role of the private sector.
Voting took place after a week-long delay which the election commission said was due to its inability to get ballots and results sheets to all parts of the country.
The vote - Africa's largest democratic exercise - was also marred by violence with at least 47 people killed since Saturday, according to the Situation Room, a monitoring organisation linking various civil society groups.
Some deaths resulted from clashes between groups allied to the leading parties and the police over the theft of ballot boxes and allegations of vote fraud.
Police have not yet provided official casualty figures.
More than 260 people have been killed since the start of the election campaign in October.
The toll so far is lower than in earlier elections, but the worst violence occurred previously only after results were announced.
Al Jazeera
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Video - Observers advocate transparency in Nigeria's electoral process
Election observers in Nigeria say there is a great need for more transparency in the process in the country as results continue to be tallied from Saturday's vote. The delayed opening of polling centres and some problems with electronic voting machines made it difficult for many people to cast their ballots. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed incidents of ballot box destruction, voter intimidation and abduction of election officials
Video - Results trickle in Nigeria, incumbent Buhari with slight lead over Atiku
President Muhamadu Buhari has taken an early lead with 1.3 million votes. His closest challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has one-point-one million votes. The result could change as more results are expected to be tallied over night. Voting was extended to Sunday in several states to allow voters who were unable to vote on the election day late delivery of polling materials.
President Buhari leads vote in Nigerian elections as apposition cries foul
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari held the edge in early election results that the main opposition party claimed were being manipulated following a vote marred by delays and at least 39 deaths.
After results from 11 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Buhari led his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, by a 51 percent to 46 percent margin, according to data announced on Monday by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the capital, Abuja. The final vote tally is expected Tuesday or Wednesday.
With his strong support in the northwest, the region with the greatest number of registered voters, Buhari’s prospects of winning re-election are bright, said Max Siollun, a Nigerian historian based in New York.
“The results so far will give Buhari and his supporters great confidence -- it will take a tectonic shift in result patterns for Atiku to win,” he said in an emailed response to questions. “If the north-western results as expected show heavy voting there for Buhari, then a Buhari victory will be a near certainty.”
The presidential and parliamentary election in Africa’s top oil producer was the continent’s biggest-ever democratic exercise. Almost 73 million people were eligible to vote Saturday in what analysts thought would be a tight race mainly between Buhari, an ex-general who campaigned on an anti-graft platform, and Abubakar, a 72-year-old businessman and former vice president.
The chairman of Abubakar’s People’s Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, accused the government of using “inducements, manipulation and incarcerations” and enlisting the police and national army “to silence the voices of our long suffering people.” In a statement, he threatened to challenge some results.
Buhari’s All Progressives Congress rejected the claims in a statement, accusing the PDP of trying to “discredit and destabilize” the electoral process.
The election pitted two men of contrasting economic views, with Buhari, who favors a strong government role, against Abubakar, a pro-market multimillionaire who has said he would float the national currency and sell stakes in the state oil company.
Wall Street banks such as Citigroup Inc. had said Nigerian equities and bonds will probably rally if Abubakar wins. The stock market closed up 0.6 percent in Lagos on Monday to extend its gains this year to 4 percent.
Election Day Fatalities
At least 39 people were killed in election-related violence, Clement Nwankwo, the chairman of Situation Room, a monitoring group, told reporters Monday in Abuja. The inspector general of police, who didn’t give a death toll, said 128 people were arrested for offenses such as homicide and snatching of ballot boxes. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu said an election worker was killed by a stray bullet in Rivers state.
“Serious operational shortcomings placed undue burden on voters,” the European Union observer mission said, while the African Union called the vote “largely peaceful and orderly.”
To win, a candidate must get the majority of votes and at least 25 percent in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and Federal Capital Territory. Otherwise, there’ll be a second round.
While Buhari was likely to win in the north, Abubakar was expected to dominate in the south-east and south-south, two of Nigeria’s six so-called geopolitical zones, where Buhari has long been unpopular. The south-west, which includes the commercial capital of Lagos, and the north-central zones were potential swing areas.
Abubakar’s PDP suffered an early blow when one of its highest-profile politicians, Senate President Bukola Saraki, lost his seat in the southwestern state of Kwara to the candidate from Buhari’s APC, according to INEC results.
“Whilst the environment was tense and divisive, overall, fundamental freedoms of association, expression, assembly and movement were generally respected,” the chairman of the Commonwealth Observer Group, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, told reporters in Abuja.
Both Buhari and Abubakar are northern Muslims in a country split roughly evenly between a Christian south and Islamic north.
Buhari ruled the country briefly as a dictator in the 1980s and morphed into a civilian politician who won on his fourth try for the presidency in 2015. Abubakar, who was vice president between 1999 and 2007, has business interests ranging from oil and gas services to food manufacturing and a private university.
Buhari and his APC have faced sharp criticism for their handling of the economy. The president imposed capital controls as the naira currency came under pressure amid plunging revenue from oil, the country’s main export, and foreign investors fled. After a contraction in 2016, the economy expanded 1.9 percent last year, the fastest since Buhari’s election.
Yet Nigeria now has more extremely poor people, 87 million, than any other nation, according to the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. The United Nations expects its population to double to 410 million by 2050, overtaking everywhere bar India and China.
Buhari’s supporters paint him as an honest politician who provides a sharp counterpart to the PDP that governed Nigeria for 16 years from the end of military rule in 1999.
Buhari’s suspension of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, accused of falsely declaring his assets, just weeks before the presidential election, was criticized by the legal community, the U.S. and the European Union, because the vote results may be contested in the Supreme Court.
Abubakar portrays himself as someone who knows how to get things done and his pro-market policies have won some favor among investors. While he’s faced allegations of corruption, he denies any wrongdoing and has never been indicted at home or abroad.
By Solape Renner, Anthony Osae-Brown, and Paul Wallace
Bloomberg
After results from 11 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Buhari led his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, by a 51 percent to 46 percent margin, according to data announced on Monday by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the capital, Abuja. The final vote tally is expected Tuesday or Wednesday.
With his strong support in the northwest, the region with the greatest number of registered voters, Buhari’s prospects of winning re-election are bright, said Max Siollun, a Nigerian historian based in New York.
“The results so far will give Buhari and his supporters great confidence -- it will take a tectonic shift in result patterns for Atiku to win,” he said in an emailed response to questions. “If the north-western results as expected show heavy voting there for Buhari, then a Buhari victory will be a near certainty.”
The presidential and parliamentary election in Africa’s top oil producer was the continent’s biggest-ever democratic exercise. Almost 73 million people were eligible to vote Saturday in what analysts thought would be a tight race mainly between Buhari, an ex-general who campaigned on an anti-graft platform, and Abubakar, a 72-year-old businessman and former vice president.
The chairman of Abubakar’s People’s Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, accused the government of using “inducements, manipulation and incarcerations” and enlisting the police and national army “to silence the voices of our long suffering people.” In a statement, he threatened to challenge some results.
Buhari’s All Progressives Congress rejected the claims in a statement, accusing the PDP of trying to “discredit and destabilize” the electoral process.
The election pitted two men of contrasting economic views, with Buhari, who favors a strong government role, against Abubakar, a pro-market multimillionaire who has said he would float the national currency and sell stakes in the state oil company.
Wall Street banks such as Citigroup Inc. had said Nigerian equities and bonds will probably rally if Abubakar wins. The stock market closed up 0.6 percent in Lagos on Monday to extend its gains this year to 4 percent.
Election Day Fatalities
At least 39 people were killed in election-related violence, Clement Nwankwo, the chairman of Situation Room, a monitoring group, told reporters Monday in Abuja. The inspector general of police, who didn’t give a death toll, said 128 people were arrested for offenses such as homicide and snatching of ballot boxes. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu said an election worker was killed by a stray bullet in Rivers state.
“Serious operational shortcomings placed undue burden on voters,” the European Union observer mission said, while the African Union called the vote “largely peaceful and orderly.”
To win, a candidate must get the majority of votes and at least 25 percent in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and Federal Capital Territory. Otherwise, there’ll be a second round.
While Buhari was likely to win in the north, Abubakar was expected to dominate in the south-east and south-south, two of Nigeria’s six so-called geopolitical zones, where Buhari has long been unpopular. The south-west, which includes the commercial capital of Lagos, and the north-central zones were potential swing areas.
Abubakar’s PDP suffered an early blow when one of its highest-profile politicians, Senate President Bukola Saraki, lost his seat in the southwestern state of Kwara to the candidate from Buhari’s APC, according to INEC results.
“Whilst the environment was tense and divisive, overall, fundamental freedoms of association, expression, assembly and movement were generally respected,” the chairman of the Commonwealth Observer Group, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, told reporters in Abuja.
Both Buhari and Abubakar are northern Muslims in a country split roughly evenly between a Christian south and Islamic north.
Buhari ruled the country briefly as a dictator in the 1980s and morphed into a civilian politician who won on his fourth try for the presidency in 2015. Abubakar, who was vice president between 1999 and 2007, has business interests ranging from oil and gas services to food manufacturing and a private university.
Buhari and his APC have faced sharp criticism for their handling of the economy. The president imposed capital controls as the naira currency came under pressure amid plunging revenue from oil, the country’s main export, and foreign investors fled. After a contraction in 2016, the economy expanded 1.9 percent last year, the fastest since Buhari’s election.
Yet Nigeria now has more extremely poor people, 87 million, than any other nation, according to the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. The United Nations expects its population to double to 410 million by 2050, overtaking everywhere bar India and China.
Buhari’s supporters paint him as an honest politician who provides a sharp counterpart to the PDP that governed Nigeria for 16 years from the end of military rule in 1999.
Buhari’s suspension of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, accused of falsely declaring his assets, just weeks before the presidential election, was criticized by the legal community, the U.S. and the European Union, because the vote results may be contested in the Supreme Court.
Abubakar portrays himself as someone who knows how to get things done and his pro-market policies have won some favor among investors. While he’s faced allegations of corruption, he denies any wrongdoing and has never been indicted at home or abroad.
By Solape Renner, Anthony Osae-Brown, and Paul Wallace
Bloomberg
Monday, February 25, 2019
Video - Votes being counted in Nigeria's delayed vote
Vote-counting is under way in Nigeria after Saturday's presidential election. Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking a second term, in what's thought to be a tight race with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The electoral commission extended voting hours in some places where polling stations opened late and ballot machines malfunctioned. Now, many Nigerians are watching election officials closely to make sure there is no vote-rigging. Emotions remain high and there are fears that a disputed result could lead to violence.
Dozens killed in election violence in Nigeria
As many as 39 people have died in election-related violence in Nigeria, as the country awaits the results of this weekend's voting in what is forecast to be its tightest poll since the end of military rule in 1999.
Current President Muhummadu Buhari, 76, a former military ruler is seeking a second term on an anti-corruption platform.
He faces off against businessman Atiku Abubakar, 72, a former vice president who has promised to expand the role of the private sector.
The election was held on Saturday, but violence and problems with electronic voting machines meant voting continued in a small number of places before polls closed on Sunday.
The ballot was initially due to take place last week, but was postponed just hours before it was due to begin, with the authorities citing logistics.
Nigeria's 73 million eligible voters chose from a pool of more than 70 presidential candidates, although only those from the two main parties — Mr Buhari and Mr Abubakar — are seen as having a chance.
The President last year publicly denied social media claims he died and was replaced by a Sudanese clone, and also courted international controversy in the past by suggesting his wife "belongs in the kitchen".
The Situation Room — which represents more than 70 civil society groups — gave Sunday's figure of 39 deaths, citing data from Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence.
In one incident, seven people were killed in a shootout between Nigerian army troops and a gang.
Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said an electoral official had been shot dead by unknown people.
The president's office declined to comment, while the opposition candidate Mr Abubakar condemned the violence in a statement.
The number of deaths reported by Sunday was below the final death tolls in previous elections in Africa's most populous country, but in the past most unrest has taken place after results were announced.
What's at stake?
A credible and relatively calm poll would open a new chapter in the chequered political history of Nigeria, where nearly six decades of independence have been tarnished by military coups, endemic corruption and secessionist movements.
"From Tuesday onwards we should have a substantial number of results," said Festus Okoye, an election commission official.
The contest between Mr Buhari and Mr Abubakar, commonly called "Atiku", hinges on revamping an economy struggling to recover from its first recession in 25 years, which it slipped into in 2016 and emerged from in 2017.
Nearly a quarter of the workforce is unemployed, while the cost of living has also risen rapidly.
Mr Buhari has focused his campaign on rooting out corruption, but critics say there have not been any significant convictions in his first term.
Mr Abubakar has said he would aim to double the size of the economy to $900 billion by 2025.
Reuters
Current President Muhummadu Buhari, 76, a former military ruler is seeking a second term on an anti-corruption platform.
He faces off against businessman Atiku Abubakar, 72, a former vice president who has promised to expand the role of the private sector.
The election was held on Saturday, but violence and problems with electronic voting machines meant voting continued in a small number of places before polls closed on Sunday.
The ballot was initially due to take place last week, but was postponed just hours before it was due to begin, with the authorities citing logistics.
Nigeria's 73 million eligible voters chose from a pool of more than 70 presidential candidates, although only those from the two main parties — Mr Buhari and Mr Abubakar — are seen as having a chance.
The President last year publicly denied social media claims he died and was replaced by a Sudanese clone, and also courted international controversy in the past by suggesting his wife "belongs in the kitchen".
The Situation Room — which represents more than 70 civil society groups — gave Sunday's figure of 39 deaths, citing data from Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence.
In one incident, seven people were killed in a shootout between Nigerian army troops and a gang.
Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said an electoral official had been shot dead by unknown people.
The president's office declined to comment, while the opposition candidate Mr Abubakar condemned the violence in a statement.
The number of deaths reported by Sunday was below the final death tolls in previous elections in Africa's most populous country, but in the past most unrest has taken place after results were announced.
What's at stake?
A credible and relatively calm poll would open a new chapter in the chequered political history of Nigeria, where nearly six decades of independence have been tarnished by military coups, endemic corruption and secessionist movements.
"From Tuesday onwards we should have a substantial number of results," said Festus Okoye, an election commission official.
The contest between Mr Buhari and Mr Abubakar, commonly called "Atiku", hinges on revamping an economy struggling to recover from its first recession in 25 years, which it slipped into in 2016 and emerged from in 2017.
Nearly a quarter of the workforce is unemployed, while the cost of living has also risen rapidly.
Mr Buhari has focused his campaign on rooting out corruption, but critics say there have not been any significant convictions in his first term.
Mr Abubakar has said he would aim to double the size of the economy to $900 billion by 2025.
Reuters
Friday, February 22, 2019
Video - Curbing fake news during elections in Nigeria
In the run up to the Nigerian elections, the country has witnessed instances of fake news aimed at tarnishing the names of candidates, parties or even INEC. Negative use of social media has largely propagated the spread of fake news in Nigeria. But how can Nigerians tackle this?
Video - Campaigns close at midnight as Nigeria gears up for national poll
Campaign activities in Nigeria are expected to end at 12 midnight local time on Thursday. Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission set the extended deadline after elections due last weekend were postponed. Rescheduled polls are due to take place on Saturday, February 23rd.
Dozens killed in clashes between villagers and 'bandits' in Nigeria
At least 59 "bandits" were killed by a civilian defence force when they attacked a village in northwest Nigeria, security officials and locals said.
Local reports said the death toll could be even higher, after a local government official said 15 other bandits were killed in the nearby village of Danmarke, the AFP news agency reported on Thursday.
"We killed 59 of the bandits and we lost seven men in the fight, which lasted for almost four hours," Bube Shehu, a resident of Danjibga village in Zamfara state, said of the clashes on Wednesday.
Shehu's account was backed by a military officer in the state but there was no immediate corroboration from police.
The worsening security situation in the northwest, President Muhammadu Buhari's strongest regional support base, is one of a number of challenges to his re-election, as voters go to the polls on Saturday.
Farming and herding communities in the region have suffered increasing attacks from criminal gangs who raid villages, steal cattle and kidnap for ransom.
The local official in Danmarke said villagers were frustrated at the lack of protection from security forces and had been forced to take matters into their own hands.
"It is high time people stand up against criminals who attack their villages instead of succumbing to them," he said on condition of anonymity.
Danjibga is a commercial hub 35km south of the state capital Gusau and has been repeatedly attacked.
Threat to security
The attacks have led to a mass exodus of residents to the town of Tsafe, and even across into Buhari's home state of Katsina, which neighbours Zamfara.
Earlier this month bandits killed 26 people when they raided seven villages in the Mada district, according to police.
Last July, Amnesty International said Zamfara state was "at the mercy" of armed bandits who had killed at least 371 people in the first six months of 2018.
In December, an influential traditional chief in the state urged authorities to allow vigilantes to carry assault rifles to defend themselves against bandits.
Last month, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said bandits were mobilised to carry out attacks and "provoke massive chaos before, during and after the elections".
Security is an election issue given Buhari's pledge in 2015 to improve safety across the country, not least end Boko Haram's armed campaign.
Al Jazeera
Local reports said the death toll could be even higher, after a local government official said 15 other bandits were killed in the nearby village of Danmarke, the AFP news agency reported on Thursday.
"We killed 59 of the bandits and we lost seven men in the fight, which lasted for almost four hours," Bube Shehu, a resident of Danjibga village in Zamfara state, said of the clashes on Wednesday.
Shehu's account was backed by a military officer in the state but there was no immediate corroboration from police.
The worsening security situation in the northwest, President Muhammadu Buhari's strongest regional support base, is one of a number of challenges to his re-election, as voters go to the polls on Saturday.
Farming and herding communities in the region have suffered increasing attacks from criminal gangs who raid villages, steal cattle and kidnap for ransom.
The local official in Danmarke said villagers were frustrated at the lack of protection from security forces and had been forced to take matters into their own hands.
"It is high time people stand up against criminals who attack their villages instead of succumbing to them," he said on condition of anonymity.
Danjibga is a commercial hub 35km south of the state capital Gusau and has been repeatedly attacked.
Threat to security
The attacks have led to a mass exodus of residents to the town of Tsafe, and even across into Buhari's home state of Katsina, which neighbours Zamfara.
Earlier this month bandits killed 26 people when they raided seven villages in the Mada district, according to police.
Last July, Amnesty International said Zamfara state was "at the mercy" of armed bandits who had killed at least 371 people in the first six months of 2018.
In December, an influential traditional chief in the state urged authorities to allow vigilantes to carry assault rifles to defend themselves against bandits.
Last month, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said bandits were mobilised to carry out attacks and "provoke massive chaos before, during and after the elections".
Security is an election issue given Buhari's pledge in 2015 to improve safety across the country, not least end Boko Haram's armed campaign.
Al Jazeera
Nigeria rallies disillusioned voters after postponed elections
Nigerian politicians and businesses have begun introducing measures to encourage people to vote in this weekend's rescheduled presidential and parliamentary elections.
The country's electoral commission delayed the vote just five hours before polls were due to open across Nigeria last Saturday, citing "logistical reasons."
Nigerians can only cast their ballots at polling units in the area where they initially registered, and as a result, there have been concerns over low voter turnout because people who traveled last week may be unwilling (or able to afford) to make another trip to their polling unit after a wasted journey last week.
The Nigerian government has declared the eve of the elections a public holiday, with the exception of bankers and essential service providers.
The holiday is to enable citizens prepare for the election, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement Wednesday, according to local media reports.
"The work-free day is to enable citizens return to their polling units for the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections," the statement read.
Reno Omokri, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan and a stalwart of the main opposition party, People's Democratic Party (PDP), said he is offering free transportation to Nigerians in buses called "Buses for Democracy."
The buses will ferry Nigerians to their various destinations regardless of their political affiliations, Omokri said in Twitter post.
There have been additional reports of efforts made to help in the effort to rally voters ahead of the polls.
Two local airlines have offered discounts to voters to boost turnout at the polls.
Arik Air, a domestic carrier to several destinations around the country, introduced a "Fly to Vote" promotion with one-way tickets pegged at N16,000 (about $45).
The airline says the initiative is to encourage people to vote in Saturday's elections and the state elections scheduled for March 9.
Aero Contractors is offering a similar reduction in flight tickets on all its routes across the country.
Reuters news agency also reported that fuel suppliers would cut the price of petrol, quoting the country's Information Minister, Lai Mohammed.
However, local media reports say the various stakeholders involved in reducing fuel prices have yet to make such decision or indicate they are willing to.
CNN was not immediately able to reach Mohammed for a comment to clarify.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, 76, is standing for re-election and will be running against 71 other candidates for the country's highest office.
His main challenger is Atiku Abubakar, 72, a business tycoon and former vice president.
By Aanu Adeoye
CNN
The country's electoral commission delayed the vote just five hours before polls were due to open across Nigeria last Saturday, citing "logistical reasons."
Nigerians can only cast their ballots at polling units in the area where they initially registered, and as a result, there have been concerns over low voter turnout because people who traveled last week may be unwilling (or able to afford) to make another trip to their polling unit after a wasted journey last week.
The Nigerian government has declared the eve of the elections a public holiday, with the exception of bankers and essential service providers.
The holiday is to enable citizens prepare for the election, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement Wednesday, according to local media reports.
"The work-free day is to enable citizens return to their polling units for the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections," the statement read.
Reno Omokri, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan and a stalwart of the main opposition party, People's Democratic Party (PDP), said he is offering free transportation to Nigerians in buses called "Buses for Democracy."
The buses will ferry Nigerians to their various destinations regardless of their political affiliations, Omokri said in Twitter post.
There have been additional reports of efforts made to help in the effort to rally voters ahead of the polls.
Two local airlines have offered discounts to voters to boost turnout at the polls.
Arik Air, a domestic carrier to several destinations around the country, introduced a "Fly to Vote" promotion with one-way tickets pegged at N16,000 (about $45).
The airline says the initiative is to encourage people to vote in Saturday's elections and the state elections scheduled for March 9.
Aero Contractors is offering a similar reduction in flight tickets on all its routes across the country.
Reuters news agency also reported that fuel suppliers would cut the price of petrol, quoting the country's Information Minister, Lai Mohammed.
However, local media reports say the various stakeholders involved in reducing fuel prices have yet to make such decision or indicate they are willing to.
CNN was not immediately able to reach Mohammed for a comment to clarify.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, 76, is standing for re-election and will be running against 71 other candidates for the country's highest office.
His main challenger is Atiku Abubakar, 72, a business tycoon and former vice president.
By Aanu Adeoye
CNN
Is Nigeria now prepared for 2019 elections
Last Saturday, 16 February, elections in Nigeria were halted just hours before polling had been due to get under way.
It was a huge inconvenience for millions of Nigerians, many of whom had traveled long distances to vote.
The poll will now be held a week later, on Saturday, 23 February.
With the extra time to prepare, are things now in place for the vote?
Why was the poll postponed?
Both the main parties, the governing All Peoples Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the delay and blamed each other for meddling in the elections.
This isn't the first time voters in Nigeria have been left in the lurch. It happened in the two previous presidential elections, in 2011 and 2015, and has led many to question the competence of the organising body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).
This time the commission cited various reasons for the delay:
. delays in delivering election materials and deploying staff
. poor weather conditions
. unresolved candidate registration issues
. the destruction of election materials and suspected sabotage
Some of the issues cited are not within the powers of the electoral commission to control, such as the unpredictable nature of Nigeria's weather.
But there are clearly other logistical factors that do need to be addressed if the election is to proceed smoothly.
Voter registration problems
Each of the 84 millions registered voters in Nigeria is required to bring a Permanent Voting Card (PVC), which is then verified at the polling station using a smart card reader.
However, many potential voters haven't got PVCs - and the electoral commission itself says 11 million of the cards printed haven't been collected.
That's a big shortfall and won't be rectified by polling day - meaning millions of registered voters won't be able to cast ballots.
Reprogramming card readers
Then there are the machines used to verify voters - 180,000 smart card readers have been deployed to polling stations across the country.
All these machines were initially programmed to work on the originally planned voting day only, so they have all needed to be reprogrammed.
Inec says this process has been completed and the machines are ready for use.
It also says it has made up for 4,600 smart card readers destroyed in a fire in Anambra State, by redistributing devices from other states - although that may leave fewer back-up machines for polling stations in other regions.
Keeping voting materials safe
Organising elections in Nigeria is a huge logistical challenge.
It's a large country, with an estimated 200 million people, and many regions lack proper roads and infrastructure.
The electoral commission says ballot papers and election staff will be in place across the country.
Sensitive election materials such as ballot papers and result sheets are being held in local central banks, Inec has told BBC News.
However, reports from local media have highlighted further logistical mishaps and the destruction of election materials and resources.
Some election material has even been found in the wrong states.
Security challenges
Election officials are working with security forces to prevent disruption to the election.
Inec maintains voting will take place in all 774 local government areas.
And international election observers say it has been moving in the right direction..
"I think Inec have definitely picked up their game," says John Tomaszewski, the International Republican Institute's regional director for Africa.
But some concerns around security remain, especially over:
. Islamist insurgency in the North East
. herder-farmer clashes in the Middle Belt
. various threats from bandits and criminal gangs in northern regions and oil-producing states in the South
In Borno State, in north-eastern Nigeria, the state most affected by Boko Haram Islamist militants, eight local government areas have prepared satellite polling stations in camps for internally displaced people.
But last week, in the run-up to the originally planned election day, Boko Haram coordinated a series of attacks and suicide bombings on military bases and a neighbourhood in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri.
And Idayat Hassan, from Abuja-based think tank the Centre for Democracy and Development, says: "The likelihood of Boko Haram attacking during the elections is high - the insurgents have consistently express aversion towards democracy and elections."
Meanwhile, in other states, such as Zamfara, in northern-most Nigeria, kidnappings, killings and general lawlessness are also raising voters' fears.
By Christopher Giles and Peter Mwai
BBC
It was a huge inconvenience for millions of Nigerians, many of whom had traveled long distances to vote.
The poll will now be held a week later, on Saturday, 23 February.
With the extra time to prepare, are things now in place for the vote?
Why was the poll postponed?
Both the main parties, the governing All Peoples Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the delay and blamed each other for meddling in the elections.
This isn't the first time voters in Nigeria have been left in the lurch. It happened in the two previous presidential elections, in 2011 and 2015, and has led many to question the competence of the organising body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).
This time the commission cited various reasons for the delay:
. delays in delivering election materials and deploying staff
. poor weather conditions
. unresolved candidate registration issues
. the destruction of election materials and suspected sabotage
Some of the issues cited are not within the powers of the electoral commission to control, such as the unpredictable nature of Nigeria's weather.
But there are clearly other logistical factors that do need to be addressed if the election is to proceed smoothly.
Voter registration problems
Each of the 84 millions registered voters in Nigeria is required to bring a Permanent Voting Card (PVC), which is then verified at the polling station using a smart card reader.
However, many potential voters haven't got PVCs - and the electoral commission itself says 11 million of the cards printed haven't been collected.
That's a big shortfall and won't be rectified by polling day - meaning millions of registered voters won't be able to cast ballots.
Reprogramming card readers
Then there are the machines used to verify voters - 180,000 smart card readers have been deployed to polling stations across the country.
All these machines were initially programmed to work on the originally planned voting day only, so they have all needed to be reprogrammed.
Inec says this process has been completed and the machines are ready for use.
It also says it has made up for 4,600 smart card readers destroyed in a fire in Anambra State, by redistributing devices from other states - although that may leave fewer back-up machines for polling stations in other regions.
Keeping voting materials safe
Organising elections in Nigeria is a huge logistical challenge.
It's a large country, with an estimated 200 million people, and many regions lack proper roads and infrastructure.
The electoral commission says ballot papers and election staff will be in place across the country.
Sensitive election materials such as ballot papers and result sheets are being held in local central banks, Inec has told BBC News.
However, reports from local media have highlighted further logistical mishaps and the destruction of election materials and resources.
Some election material has even been found in the wrong states.
Security challenges
Election officials are working with security forces to prevent disruption to the election.
Inec maintains voting will take place in all 774 local government areas.
And international election observers say it has been moving in the right direction..
"I think Inec have definitely picked up their game," says John Tomaszewski, the International Republican Institute's regional director for Africa.
But some concerns around security remain, especially over:
. Islamist insurgency in the North East
. herder-farmer clashes in the Middle Belt
. various threats from bandits and criminal gangs in northern regions and oil-producing states in the South
In Borno State, in north-eastern Nigeria, the state most affected by Boko Haram Islamist militants, eight local government areas have prepared satellite polling stations in camps for internally displaced people.
But last week, in the run-up to the originally planned election day, Boko Haram coordinated a series of attacks and suicide bombings on military bases and a neighbourhood in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri.
And Idayat Hassan, from Abuja-based think tank the Centre for Democracy and Development, says: "The likelihood of Boko Haram attacking during the elections is high - the insurgents have consistently express aversion towards democracy and elections."
Meanwhile, in other states, such as Zamfara, in northern-most Nigeria, kidnappings, killings and general lawlessness are also raising voters' fears.
By Christopher Giles and Peter Mwai
BBC
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Video - Is democracy the answer to Nigeria's woes?
Millions of Nigerians finally get to vote for a new leader on Saturday after the election was postponed by a week. Whoever wins will have to address at least three pressing issues, the sluggish economy, security problems and corruption. It's expected to be a tight race between President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking a second term, and Atiku Abubakar the main opposition candidate. Buhari has promised to fight corruption but his opponents have focused on what they say has been his failure to fix the economy. The main contenders made their final appeal for votes on the last day of campaigning on Thursday. So, will elections make any difference?
Video - Nigeria's young voters under spotlight as elections near
It is the battle for the youth's vote in Nigeria. Young Nigerians make up the biggest voting bloc in the pivotal presidential and National Assembly elections, which begin on Saturday.
Video - Foreign envoys warned against meddling in rescheduled polls
Meanwhile, Nigeria's Foreign Affairs minister has warned international envoys against interfering in the re-scheduled elections. Geoffrey Onyeama was briefing diplomats ahead of Saturdays polls, in which Nigerians will vote for their next president, and law makers.
Video - Campaigning resumes ahead of Saturday elections in Nigeria
Well, Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission, has assured citizens and the international community that the election on Saturday will be smooth. Political parties have also been allowed to resume campaigns in the remaining days, as stipulated by the electoral act.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Video - Will voters punish Buhari for not tackling Nigeria's oil spills?
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari came to power with a promise to clean up the Niger Delta. But as he seeks re-election, it is still a mess of oil spills, causing sickness in surrounding villages and destroying people's livelihoods.
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