Nigeria’s electoral commission warns of violence

The head of Nigeria’s electoral commission, Mahmood Yakuba, has said that he’s worried about attacks “intensifying” as the country prepares for February’s upcoming presidential elections.

There are concerns that next year’s tightly contested race could be more turbulent than usual, with Mr Yakuba adding that the commission had already tracked 50 attacks related to the polls in the first month of campaigning alone.

The comments were made during an emergency meeting by the commission after two of its offices were attacked on Thursday.

Last month, the US embassy evacuated all non-essential staff from Abuja, citing an elevated risk of a terror attack in the capital.

Security forces have been battling a range of threats across the country: including an Islamist insurgency, armed criminal gangs and separatist groups.

By BBC