An overnight
curfew was imposed in Nigeria’s southern Rivers state as tensions ran high over
local results of the country’s general election, the state government said on
Monday.
“The
government has imposed a curfew in Rivers state from 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) to 6:00
am to prevent the breakdown of law and order because of the tense political
situation,” said information commissioner Ibim Semenitari.
Rivers, in
the oil-producing Delta region, is a key battleground in the election, which is
seen as the closest in Nigeria’s history.
The main
national opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has held protests in the
state capital Port Harcourt, accusing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
of widespread vote-rigging.
Thousands of
supporters took to the streets on Sunday and Monday, calling for the election
to be re-run in the state, which is next door to President Goodluck Jonathan’s
home in Bayelsa.
The APC
controls Rivers after governor Rotimi Amaechi defected from the PDP in 2013 and
he has since become a top critic of the government.
On Monday,
female supporters of the APC were teargassed as they tried to converge on the
offices of the local electoral commission.
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