Nigeria votes: As it happened

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

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

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

tweets: "Darkness has fallen. #NigeriaDecides #shineyaeye

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

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.

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

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

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."

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Here's a video round-up of the key points from the day's voting.

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

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"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."

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

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

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.

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.

tweets: "Some results are already starting to come in. To quote @WillEdmundson "THIS IS VERY EXCITING". #NigeriaDecides

tweets: "Ballot boxes filling up at Garki Area 11. #NigeriaDecides #NigeriaDeciding"

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Number killed in Gombe state attacks has risen to 24. It is still not clear if it was Boko Haram or hired political thugs - some Nigerians have been asking, "What's the difference?"

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Opposition candidate Gen Buhari has voted at the polling station opposite his house in Daura, Katsina state.

Voting has started at about 75% of polling stations, according to main election observer body, the Transition Monitoring Group.

AFP news agency quotes residents and an election official as saying that suspected Boko Haram gunmen burnt all voting material during an attack on polling stations in the neighbouring villages of Birin Bolawa and Birin Fulani in north-eastern Gombe state.

"As soon as people saw them they began to run away but the gunmen opened fire on the polling station, killing one man," said Karim Jauro, a resident of Birin Fulani.

The largest observer group, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), has tweeted this graphic showing the presence of party agents around the country.

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Opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari has arrived at the polling station to cast his vote.

Inec's Nick Dazen has told the BBC that problems with voter accreditation are not widespread, but still of concern. Voting has been suspended in some areas, but the electoral commission spokesman did not give a number.

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The BBC team in Gen Buhari's home town of Daura, in the northern state of Katsina, says officials are finally getting ready for the vote.

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In Port Harcourt, the oil capital in the Niger Delta, there are long lines too as voters wait to cast their ballots.

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The president's wife, Patience Jonathan, casts her vote in the village of Otuoke, in the oil-rich south.

Electoral commission spokesman Nick Dazen says in some areas where accreditation had not begun by 13:00 local time (12:00 GMT), the whole process will take place on Sunday.

Eugene, a voter in Lagos, has told the BBC that logistical problems have not dampened his enthusiasm to cast his ballot: "Never mind the small hiccups (late arrival of officials and materials, and the hacking of the Inec website). Nigerians are happy to be able to 'speak' with their votes. Let the votes count!"

tweets: "#NigeriaDecides: Vice President Namadi Sambo casts his vote in Kaduna and greets the media"

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tweets: "Dr Amos Sawyer, head of AU observer team notes verification delays of about 1-2hours." You can hear his interview with the African Union observer at 19:00 GMT on Focus on Africa on the BBC World Service.

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Election commission spokesman Chris Yimoga has been briefing reporters in Abuja on the decision to extend voting to Sunday.

He said there had been "challenges" with technology in "many" areas.

"In polling units where accreditation was suspended to the following day in accordance with the existing guidelines, arrangement will be made for voters to vote tomorrow [Sunday]," Mr Yimoga is quoted by AFP news agency as saying.

President Jonathan has told the BBC's Peter Okwoche that people have to be patient with the electoral commission because voting is taking place under a new system. He says he does not blame the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) for today's problems. When asked who he had voted for, he replied: "I voted for myself and for the PDP."

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In a series of 11 tweets, the electoral commission has been explaining its decision to extend voting in some areas to Sunday.

Chris, a voter in Benin city in southern Nigeria, told the BBC that he will be casting his ballot for Sangosanya Tolulope: "Virtually everyone is talking about President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhamadu Buhari at the election.

"I know that neither of the two has any answer to Nigeria's problems. In fact, they are likely to compound the problems. For this reason, I have decided to give my vote to the only female presidential candidate, at least to give her some moral support for the future."

tweets from the home town of opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari: "Slowly getting to the end of accreditation. The line of men who still need to be processed before #Buhari can vote."

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Gunmen have shot dead a soldier in an ambush in the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt, the military is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.

tweets: "Drinks seller tells us no glass bottles near the polling unit. No sir, there will be no head breaking here. #NigeriaDecides"

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The crowds in Daura, home town of opposition candidate Gen Buhari, are kept entertained listening to the BBC's Abdullahi Kaura live on BBC Hausa radio.

Eyewitnesses say 13 people have been killed in five attacks by gunmen in northern-eastern Gombe state. It is not clear whether the gunmen are Boko Haram militants or political thugs.

tweets: "People hilariously asking for Yoruba, Igbo, and Efik voting instructions after English and Hausa at Garki Area 11 in Abuja. #NigeriaDecides"

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An army roadblock in Lagos, pictured by the BBC's Jack Garland.

As President Jonathan prepared to vote, an official on a loud speaker reminded everyone to "make your vote very clear". After he voted, his wife Patience cast her ballot, reports the BBC's Louise Adamou.

tweets: "Can't help thinking there has to be another way which does not demand Nigerian voters to queue twice for many hours."

President Jonathan has arrived to cast his vote in his southern village of Otuoke and is greeting the people in the queue, says the BBC's Louise Adamou.

BBC Hausa's Yusuf Yakasai in Kano says that voting has started in most wards of the northern city but in others there are long queues with people still waiting to be accredited.

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Voting has started at the GSS Tudun Wada Abuja polling station in the capital - 40 minutes late. This is a photo of the first voter.

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tweets: "A never ending queue in Daura where #Buhari will vote." All these women in Gen Buhari's hometown still need to be accredited, he adds.

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tweets: "Accredited and waiting to vote. Area 11, Garki, Abuja. Nigeriadecides"

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Here's a photo of President Jonathan receiving confirmation that he had been accredited to vote. He failed on two occasions to be electronically accredited, and was then manually verified as a voter.

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The BBC's Louise Adamou reports there are now two queues in President Jonathan's village of Otuoke - one for those who have not yet tried to be accredited, and one for those who have tried and failed.

Eighty-one percent of polling stations were open by 12:30 local time (11:30 GMT), according to Nigeria's main election observer body, the Transitional Monitoring Group.

It adds that card readers were available and ready for use at 91% of the stations.

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Here's a photo of voters queuing under brooms, the symbol of the opposition APC, in Gen Buhari's home town of Daura.

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The Electoral Commission's website that was earlier hacked by a group called team Nigerian Cyber Army has now been restored. Here is the screen grab.

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Voters read papers as they sit in a queue waiting to be accredited in this shot by BBC Hausa service editor Mansur Liman.

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A voter's head gear snapped by BBC cameraman Jack Garland in Lagos.

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The machine checking biometric data at this polling station in Daura, the home town of Gen Buhari, appears to be failing more than it is succeeding, says BBC cameraman Kelvin Brown.

Here's a photo of former President Shehu Aliyu Shagari being accredited to vote in his home town of Shagari in northern Sokoto state.

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More details are coming in of the attack on Birin Fulani village in Gombe state - a policeman and a civilian were shot by Boko Haram gunmen, according to monitoring group Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.

The attackers came in eight cars and two motorbikes, it says.

Accreditation has concluded at the GSS Tudun Wada Abuja polling station in the capital, despite starting two hours late. Voters are now queuing up to cast their vote which will begin by 12:30 GMT.

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The BBC's Nkem Ifejika just outside Abuja explains in this video that fingerprint readers have been causing delays.

BBC cameraman Jack Garland tweets: "ET phone home or a modern Sistine Chapel? Actually a voter in Lagos using polling fingerprint reader #NigeriaDecides"

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According to Nigeria's privately owned Vanguard newspaper, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo says he is satisfied with the way the election process has gone so far in Abeokuta, the capital of southern Ogun state.

He was accredited within 10 minutes of his arrival at a polling station, it reports.

"We must allay the fears of those people who thought there will be violence or disturbance regarding this election," he is quoted as saying.

Here are some details on the hacking of electoral commission's website: A group calling itself the Nigeria Cyber Army has placed a message on the site warning the Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commision (Inec) not to rig the elections. So far, it is not clear if the breach is beyond the website.

The Transitional Monitoring Group posted this graphic on Facebook, saying that across Nigeria, 68% of polling units had opened by 11.30 local time (10:30 GMT).

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According to Nigeria's Leadership newspaper, Rivers state Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has suspended the accreditation of voters in one area of the state because not all voting material has arrived.

tweets, including an embedded video: "Scenes rarely seen in Lagos: totally empty streets. City on lockdown for the election #Nigeriadecides"

The AFP news agency is reporting that at least two people have been killed in a suspected attack by Boko Haram on polling stations in north-eastern Nigeria. It quotes residents and an election official as saying gunmen raided the villages of Birin Bolawa and Birin Fulani in Gombe state.

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There are reports on social media that electoral officials are not removing the protective film from the permanent voters card readers and that is why they are not working properly - once removed fingerprints are registering.

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Too young to vote, but there are business opportunities with all these people standing around in the midday heat, says the BBC's Becky Lipscombe in Abuja.

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At a polling station just outside Abuja, patience is required as the card readers are having difficulty reading fingerprints. But voter Jibrin tells the BBC he'll wait all day and night if he has to.

Nigerian human rights lawyer Aminu Gamawa tweets: "Women in Maiduguri waiting for accreditation. There is no better evidence of rejection of Boko Haram."

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The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Lagos says there were problems earlier on in the commercial capital with accreditation, but now the queues at polling stations are moving.

Here's a photo of voting material arriving earlier in the day in the suburb of Surulere:

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The team collating data form observers across the country is hard at work in the capital, Abuja, says BBC cameraman Ayo Bello.

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The electoral commission has tweeted: "We are aware of the recent hack of our @inecnigeria website, we are currently investigating this incident #NigeriaDecides."

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Voter Delight Ekeh in Karshi, a suburb of Abuja, tells the BBC: "Everything's going fine. All the women are here, young and old, they're determined to vote. Someone will win. But we want Nigeria to win."

The Independent National Electoral Commission's website has been hacked - here's a screen-grab of it:

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Ex-oil militant Mujahid Dokubo-Asari's voter card is rejected by the electronic card reader at his polling station in Rivers State, Nigeria's private Daily Trust newspaper reports.

Here's a photo of Nigeria's former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar being accredited in Jimeta town in north-eastern Yola state, which has been badly affected by Boko Haram's insurgency.

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General Buhari and his wife were met by a huge crowd, scrambling to witness them being accredited in Daura. The process was fast and smooth - in less than five minutes he was out.

He is due to return at 13:00 local time (12:00 GMT) to cast his vote. Long queues of people remain at this polling centre, which is right opposite General Buhari's family home.

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Voters from a camp for people made homeless by militant Islamist group Boko Haram's insurgency queue to be accredited in the northern-eastern city of Maiduguri.

tweets: "Just spoke to some foreign observers. They say so far the accreditation process is going fairly smoothly in #Daura. #NigeriaDecides"

After struggling to be accredited at his polling station the first time round, President Jonathan joked: "Maybe it's me?" He added: "If I can endure, you see my sweat?

He called for patience and said he was not worried about technical glitches. "It's the first time we are using this technology, PVCs (permanent voters card), card readers," the AFP news agency quotes the president as saying.

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The BBC's Kelvin Brown in Daura in northern Katsina state says men and women have to form separate queues to be accredited for voting.

All observers are being chased away by agents of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) from a polling station in southern Akwa Ibom state, says Lazarus Apir, the spokesman of the Transitional Monitoring Group, the largest observer group in Nigeria.

Similar incidents are being reported in two other southern states: Youths chased away observers in Delta and observers were threatened by a PDP member in Cross Rivers, he told the BBC.

Initial reports that the president had registered were incorrect - he left and came back to the polling station at his home village in Otuoke, reports the BBC's Louise Adamou.

But the card reader has again failed to electronically register him and he has now been manually accredited as a voter, she says.

Here are some photos of election officials and voters from the president's home village, Otuoke - courtesy of BBC Focus on Africa presenter Peter Okwoche.

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tweets: "Abuja is so empty today that 'only' these cows and I have the roads. The cows were walking majestically. #Nigeria"

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Listen to a report from the BBC's Abdullahi Kaura Abubakar in Daura town about accreditation of the APC's presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

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Just over two hours after polling stations were meant to open in Nigeria's presidential and parliamentary election, some delays are being reported. At the polling station where I am outside Abuja, men and women are in separate queues.

When they get to the front of the queue there are some problems with the card readers recognising thumb prints. The president in the south also had problems, taking about 30 minutes to register.

There are some other logistical challenges, but they are not insurmountable - the big issue is patience, because the process is very slow and it looks like voters are going to be here all day.

The BBC's Jonathan Chapman in the capital, Abuja, says that the blast at a polling station in Enugu state is reported to have been a controlled explosion of a car bomb that had been discovered.

An elderly woman arrives in Daura, the home town of Gen Buhari, to validate her voting card using a fingerprint reader, prior to casting her ballot later in the day.

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Accreditation has finally commenced at the GSS Tudun Wada polling station in Abuja, almost two hours after polls officially opened.

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Gen Buhari has been accredited in Daura town, and told journalists. "I like the integrity of the system... If people are allowed to vote then rigging will be virtually impossible under the system."

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Nigeria's privately owned Channels Television is reporting that there there has been a bomb blast at a polling station in Enugu state, in south-eastern Nigeria

President Jonathan has been accredited, his special adviser says.

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The voters card reader seems not to work as President Goodluck Jonathan waits patiently at the polling station in Otuoke.

Accreditation yet to commence at Abuja's GSS Tudun Wada polling station. Voters are getting agitated.

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The BBC's Louise Adamou reports from Otuoke that the president is flanked by his wife, Patience Jonathan. There is a huge media scrum at the polling station, she adds.

President Jonathan has been trying but failing to register for the past 20 minutes, the BBC team in his home village of Otuoke reports.

tweets: "Pres Jonathan still waiting to be verified as card reader seems to be malfunctioning #nigeriadecides2015 @BBCAfrica"

tweets: "Accreditation paused at 37/06/01/018 Nyanya. Incidents reports have to be filed if fingerprint isn't recognised. They don't want a pile up."

tweets: Polling officers arrive in #otuoke nearly one and a half hours late. #nigeriadecides2015 @BBCAfrica

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Only one in five successes so far on reading thumb print here in Nyanya, outside Abuja. Have to compare photo on voter list to face where machine fails.

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tweets from Nyanya on the outskirts of Abuja: "Chief of Nyanaya verification failed, to be manually accredited. No fingerprint gone through so far. #NigeriaDecides"

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The BBC's Nasidi Adamau Yahaya tweets: "Long queues here in Abuja but @inecnigeria officials are yet to begin accreditation."

tweets from Nyanya near Abuja: "Playing with the bottle tops as he queues with his mum"

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The president has arrived in his home village to register, the BBC team there says.

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The BBC's Nkem Ifejika tweets from Nyanya on the outskirts of Abuja: "Great place to hold an election, palm trees, hills, and a chief's palace."

Accreditation about to begin at GSS Tudun Wada in Abuja. The earlier confusion about status of polling unit has been sorted.

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Police stand guard with dogs at a polling station in Port Harcourt city in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

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This electoral official at Karu village junction in Nyanya, outside Abuja. Joseph says he is confident about using his card reader after his five days of training, reports the BBC's Becky Lipscombe

"Polling stations have opened. Accreditation has started," election commission spokesman Kayode Idowu has told AFP news agency, despite reports of delays to the start.

Voters getting restless at a polling station in central Abuja. They insist they have voted here in previous polls but electoral officials say there has been a change and they might be moved elsewhere, not sure where.

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Millions of people have queued at polling stations to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections, reports the BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi from the capital, Abuja.

Preliminary reports from across Nigeria indicate that voter accreditation is moving smoothly at some polling stations, but at others voting material has not yet arrived, he says.

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Gen Buhari has just arrived and is being accredited.

Some polling stations have opened across Nigeria - people will first queue to register and vote later in the day. This has been done to prevent fraud in the elections.

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The postponed elections in Jigawa will now take place on 11 April, a security source has told the BBC.

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Voters outside a polling station in Nyanya, near the capital Abuja - where some advice has been chalked up for voters.

tweets: Am at one Abuja polling station where election team and equipment yet to arrive. #Nigeriadecides

tweets: We will be tweeting with and monitoring the hashtag #NigeriaDecides, please include it in your tweets and we will track your reports!

They have started the registration process in Daura in Katsina. Here's a photo of the first voter to go through the process.

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Here's a photo of the main road in the president's village venue.

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Follow the BBC's Peter Okwoche on Twitter from the president's home village.

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Security has been tightened at polling stations across Nigeria to prevent attacks by militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which views democracy as un-Islamic. Here security officers are on patrol in Daura, Katsina state.

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Hundreds of people are queuing in northern Kano city ahead of the polls opening when voters will have to first be accredited. Electoral materials have also arrived at a central polling centre before their distribution to polling stations.

The elections are being monitored by a large number of foreign observers, including those from the United Nations and African Union, to ensure a free and fair contest.

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The BBC's Akwasi Sarpong, reporting for the BBC's Focus on Africa radio from the capital, Abuja, says that an hour before accreditation was to begin there was no sign of election officials at a polling station in the centre of the city, but voters had begun to arrive.

President Jonathan will vote in his home village of Utuoke in southern Bayelsa state, where he flew in on Friday night after weeks of hectic campaigning.

Elections for the House of Representatives have been postponed in northern Jigawa state because of a lack of voting material, a security source has told the BBC.

Some 68.8 million people have registered to vote in of Africa's most populous state.

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A BBC team is in Daura, in the northern state of Katina, where Gen Buhari will cast his vote. Here, some residents of Daura wait patiently outside a station ahead of polls opening at 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT).

It promises to be a closely fought race for the presidency with incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian southerner, facing a tough challenge from Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim northerner.

Good morning and welcome to the BBC's coverage of presidential and parliamentary elections in Nigeria, bringing you live updates from across the country.