Summary

  • Millions of Nigerians vote in closely fought poll

  • Ruling party condemns 'huge national embarrassment'

  • Elections postponed in some areas to Sunday

  • At least 24 reportedly killed in multiple attacks

  1. Postpublished at 18:44 GMT 28 March 2015

    That's it for our live coverage of this historic vote. Counting has started in places, but in some areas voting will continue on Sunday because of technical problems. The BBC's Focus on Africa will have a round-up of the day at 19:00 GMT on the World Service and you can find the latest news on BBCAfrica.com.

    Election officials pull the ballots out of the box at the end of voting in one of the stations in Kaduna, Nigeria - Saturday 28 MarchImage source, AP
  2. Torchlightpublished at 18:42 GMT 28 March 2015

    Here's a photo from the BBC team in Abuja of election officials counting votes by torchlight on a street in the capital city.

    Counting votes by torchlight in Abuja
  3. Pure couragepublished at 18:38 GMT 28 March 2015

    Andrew Harding
    Africa correspondent

    We've seen the impressive patience, discipline - and in the troubled north-east, pure courage - shown by most voters in most areas.

    Voters show their cards, ahead of the vote for the presidential elections in Gokana on 28 March 2015Image source, AFP
  4. Kano countingpublished at 18:31 GMT 28 March 2015

    Counting ballots in Kano

    A picture of counting at a polling station in the northern city of Kano after dark, taken by BBC Hausa service's Yusuf Yakasai.

  5. Postpublished at 18:30 GMT 28 March 2015

    Nkem Ifejika
    BBC World Service, Abuja

    tweets, external: "Darkness has fallen. #NigeriaDecides #shineyaeye

  6. So far so goodpublished at 18:26 GMT 28 March 2015

    Stephanie Hegarty
    BBC World Service, Abuja

    tweets, external: "Reports of ballot boxes being stolen.. And Inec observers kidnapped.. Not too widespread though, overall so far so good #NigeriaDecides"

  7. 'Huge national embarrassment'published at 18:10 GMT 28 March 2015

    Nigeria's ruling PDP party says it is concerned by reports of under-aged persons being accredited to vote in some northern states, seen as opposition strongholds.

    In a statement, it also denounced as a "huge national embarrassment" the failure of card readers to verify President Jonathan and other politicians as voters and said it will demand a "thorough explanation" from the electoral commission.

  8. Postpublished at 18:08 GMT 28 March 2015

    Here's a video of the two main presidential candidates talking to the BBC after casting their votes.

  9. No drivingpublished at 18:07 GMT 28 March 2015

    Will Ross
    BBC Nigeria correspondent

    tweets, external: "Does any country in the world go into the lockdown mode for elections like Nigeria? No-one allowed to drive on roads."

  10. Loads of peoplepublished at 17:58 GMT 28 March 2015

    Kelvin Brown
    BBC News, Daura

    tweets, external: "Still loads of people waiting to vote in the neighbourhood where #Buhari grew up. #NigeriaDecides"

    Voters in Daura
  11. 'Shooting into the air'published at 17:51 GMT 28 March 2015

    There are reports of electoral materials being snatched in an area of south-eastern Ebonyi state.

    "The hoodlums, wielding AK-47 riffles, emerged from the bush and shot into the air to scare voters and officials away before snatching the materials," Nigeria's Premium Times newspaper reports, external.

  12. Thumbs uppublished at 17:42 GMT 28 March 2015

    A soldier in Mararaba in Nasarawa state

    Patrolling soldiers are snapped by the BBC's Chris Ewokor in the town of Mararaba in Nasarawa state, near the capital Abuja. Chris will be on the BBC's Focus on Africa at 19:00 GMT talking to voters about their experiences.

  13. Eating on the jobpublished at 17:30 GMT 28 March 2015

    An elector worker eats his launch next to ballot boxes in a poling station in Kano - 28 March 2015Image source, Reuters

    An electoral worker eats his lunch next to ballot boxes in a polling station in the northern city of Kano.

  14. Voting in Boko Haram's ex-HQpublished at 17:24 GMT 28 March 2015

    Military helicopters hovered above voters queuing at a polling station in Maiduguri, the former headquarters of Boko Haram, Reuters news agency reports.

    "I'm not afraid of violence. I don't even expect any problem," 27-year-old student Kaulala Abbas is quoted as saying. "I've decided like most people to effect a change in government and this can only be done through my vote."

    People queue to register to vote and cast their ballotsin Maiduguri, Nigeria, Saturday 28 March 2015Image source, AP
  15. Handcuffspublished at 17:22 GMT 28 March 2015

    BBC cameraman Jack Garland tweets, external, "Women in Lagos stare at an SSS (state security service) agent watching them queue to vote. #bbcnews #NigeriaDecides!

    Women looking at a security official holding handcuffs in Lagos
  16. 'Ink might smudge'published at 17:15 GMT 28 March 2015

    Becky Lipscombe
    BBC News, Abuja

    Electoral official in Abuja

    "Don't fold your ballot like this," says electoral official Hamza Umar in Abuja, "or the ink might smudge and you'll end up voting for someone else."

  17. 'On course'published at 17:07 GMT 28 March 2015

    After casting his ballot in Daura, Gen Buhari told the BBC's Abduallahi Kaura Abubakar that the voting process was "in order".

    Gen Buhari voting

    He added: "But I have been watching activities in other states which is disappointing, but overall it's on course."

  18. Postpublished at 17:06 GMT 28 March 2015

    The elections were postponed by six weeks to give regional forces time to recapture territory from Boko Haram. On Friday, Nigeria's military said the group had been driven out from virtually all the towns it controlled in the north-east. Boko Haram denounced the elections as un-Islamic.

  19. 'Beheadings by Boko Haram'published at 17:01 GMT 28 March 2015

    News is coming in of 23 people being beheaded in the north-eastern town of Buratai on the eve of the election.

    The AFP news agency is quoting the lawmaker who represents the town, Mohammed Adamu, as saying that suspected Boko Haram militants carried out the attack.

    Homes were also burnt in Buratai, some 200km (125 miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, Mr Adamu told AFP.