Elections: FG directs closure of all borders for 24 hours

Ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections holding on Saturday, all borders are to be closed for 24 hours during the poll, the Federal Government has directed.

This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday by spokesman for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Tony Akuneme.

It quoted the NIS Comptroller-General, Isah Jere, as saying the border closure would be effective from 12am on Saturday to 12am on Sunday.

“Accordingly, all command comptrollers especially those in the border states are to ensure strict enforcement of this directive,” he added.
The development is coming hours after the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, had ordered the restriction of vehicular movement across the country on election day.
The restriction, which exempts persons on essential duties, will be effective from midnight on Friday till 6pm on Saturday.
Those on essential services are officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electoral observers, those in charge of medical emergencies and firefighters.