Nigeria has shut its land and sea borders and will suspend international flights to and from Nigeria by midnight today as Nigerians go to the polls on Saturday to elect the President and members of the National Assembly on March 28.
“All borders will effectively be closed from midnight March 25, to midnight Saturday, March 28 to allow for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming national elections,” a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji, said.
The statement added that the Nigeria Immigration Service had been directed to ensure that non-Nigerians do not participate in any part of the election process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police and the Army have expressed their preparedness for the polls. The United Nations on its part appealed to Nigerians to disappoint everyone who has predicted violence or disintegration by conducting a peaceful election.
“I would like Nigerians to disappoint those who expect violence during the elections. Though there was resistance about the earlier postponement of the elections, it has been admitted that the postponement is relevant,” the Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa, UNOWA, Mohammed Ibn Chambas said.
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