Off the wire
• Urgent: U.S. stocks soar after dovish Fed statement  • Israeli center-left leader dismisses option to join unity gov't  • Kerry slams deadly attack on Tunisian museum  • U.S., German leaders urge "full" implementation of deals on eastern Ukraine  • Features: From jerseys to shoes -- Investment adjustment would be Adidas' redemption?  • CAF suspends Uganda's key player in Confederation tie with South Africa  • Poland condemns deadly attack in Tunisia  • Urgent: U.S. dollar drops on Fed announcement  • Using sunglasses to view solar eclipse could cause "irreversible" damage  • Switzerland provides 6.6 mln euro grant for gas infrastructure in Albania  
You are here: 　 Home

Nigeria airspace to remain open during polls: minister

Xinhua, March 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nigeria will not close the nation's airspace during the forthcoming general elections, the country's Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, said on Wednesday.

Moro, who addressed the diplomatic community at an interactive session in Abuja, the nation's capital, said Nigeria will do so if there is a need for extra security measures.

The minister added that the nation would ensure tight security at the nation's borders before and after the polls.

According to him, it had intelligence reports that some foreign nationals were in possession of the Permanent Voter Cards being issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Moro appealed to Chad, Cameroon, Republic of Benin and Niger Republic to secure the borders from their ends. He added that guidelines on the movement during the elections would be communicated by the appropriate agencies.

Moro told his audience that all security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Immigration Service, had already been deployed in the borders.

Nigeria's rescheduled presidential and national assembly elections will be held on March 28, while the governorship and state congresses elections, on April 11.

The elections were previously set on Feb. 14 and Feb. 28 respectively. The country announced on Feb. 7 a six-week postponement to the elections citing fears over security and the Boko Haram insurgency. Endi