Card Readers Failed, 39 Killed By Militant During Election

Thirty-nine people in north-eastern Nigeria have been killed by Boko Haram militant disrupting the country's presidential election.
The attacks took place in areas where the military claimed to have driven the Islamic extremists away.

Residents of the town of Miringa said the militants set fire to people's homes early on Saturday and then shot them as they tried to escape. Twenty-five were reportedly killed.

Another 14 people, including a Gombe state legislator, were said to have died in later attacks on two other towns, Biri and Dukku.

It happened after authorities extended the voting period into Sunday following technical glitches.

After weeks of postponements, millions of Nigerians have voted in the most hotly-contested election since the end of military rule in 1999.

Though counting has begun in parts of the country, polling will continue into Sunday in some areas - including the largest city Lagos - after new machines failed to read voters' biometric cards.

President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife were among those affected after three card readers failed to recognise their fingerprints.

"I appeal to all Nigerians to be patient no matter the pains it takes as long as if, as a nation, we can conduct free and fair elections that the whole world will accept," said Mr Jonathan, who returned to successfully cast his vote several hours later.

Several car bombs have exploded outside polling stations, although no injuries were reported.

The governor of Borno state said 25 people were killed in an assault on the remote village of Buratai on Friday night.