Militants Kill 39 As Nigerians Go To Polls

Officials say Boko Haram militants have killed 39 people in northeastern Nigeria, disrupting the country's presidential election.

All 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.

Analysts say the election, between Mr Jonathan, of the People's Democratic Party, and former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive party (APC), is too close to call.

It is taking place amid an Islamic insurgency in the northeast of the country and threats by anti-democracy militants to disrupt the process.

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.

Another issue that threatened to mar the election was the hacking of the Independent National Electoral Commission website.

Officials said the site was quickly secured and held no sensitive information.