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| Nigerians protest at poll 'fraud' | Nigerians protest at poll 'fraud' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Nigerian opposition and civil society groups are to join trade unions at May Day rallies to protest against recent presidential and state elections. | Nigerian opposition and civil society groups are to join trade unions at May Day rallies to protest against recent presidential and state elections. |
| The country's head of police said unauthorised demonstrations would be forcibly broken up with teargas. | The country's head of police said unauthorised demonstrations would be forcibly broken up with teargas. |
| The ruling People's Democratic Party's Umaru Yar'Adua was declared the winner of the 21 April presidential election. | The ruling People's Democratic Party's Umaru Yar'Adua was declared the winner of the 21 April presidential election. |
| Monitors have said both the state and presidential polls were rigged but Mr Yar'Adua says his victory was fair. | Monitors have said both the state and presidential polls were rigged but Mr Yar'Adua says his victory was fair. |
| Police crackdown | Police crackdown |
| Inspector General of Police Sunday Ehindero said May Day rallies were allowed at designated grounds, but police would crack down on those marching without a permit. | Inspector General of Police Sunday Ehindero said May Day rallies were allowed at designated grounds, but police would crack down on those marching without a permit. |
| "Any procession that takes place without a police permit will be dispersed forcefully, it will be tear-gassed and if greater force is required, we will use it," Mr Ehindero said. | "Any procession that takes place without a police permit will be dispersed forcefully, it will be tear-gassed and if greater force is required, we will use it," Mr Ehindero said. |
| People were forced to thumb-print in front of the PDP agents and then they took the ballot and put it in the ballot box Emma EzeazuElection observer Emma Ezeazu's election view | |
| The main opposition leader - Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People's Party - is expected to attend one of the rallies. | The main opposition leader - Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People's Party - is expected to attend one of the rallies. |
| On Monday, top election observer Emma Ezeazu was arrested by state security officials, who accuse him of inciting violence. | |
| The agents from the State Security Service (SSS) raided the Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE) office and confiscated placards being readied for the protests, ACE says. | |
| "They said they didn't need a warrant to arrest him," ACE spokesman Odoh Okenyodo told the BBC's News website. | |
| "They said they caught us in the act of producing placards for tomorrow's mass protests. | |
| "But this will not break our will. International and local observers all agree that the recent general elections in Nigeria were terribly rigged. | |
| "We were only preparing those placards to join in the peaceful protests called tomorrow by the central labour union" he says. | |
| Fears | |
| Mr Ezeazu has said the election was a "charade". | |
| "People were forced to thumb-print in front of the PDP agents and then they took the ballot and put it in the ballot box," he told the BBC. | |
| The police have warned against unauthorised marches | |
| Some 200 people were killed in election violence, according to European Union observers. | |
| The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says the opposition has been reluctant to call for street protests because it fears they could spiral out of control. | The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says the opposition has been reluctant to call for street protests because it fears they could spiral out of control. |
| Many question whether people will be willing to potentially risk their lives to speak out against the polls, our correspondent says. | Many question whether people will be willing to potentially risk their lives to speak out against the polls, our correspondent says. |
| Opposition parties have called for the annulment of the elections. | Opposition parties have called for the annulment of the elections. |
| But the government has rejected criticism of the elections, saying it was intended to cause a coup. | But the government has rejected criticism of the elections, saying it was intended to cause a coup. |
| When President Olusegun Obasanjo hands over power on 29 May it will be the first transition from one civilian leader to another in what is Africa's most populous nation. | When President Olusegun Obasanjo hands over power on 29 May it will be the first transition from one civilian leader to another in what is Africa's most populous nation. |