MAIDUGURI, Nigeria

Nigeria’s election commission officials counted ballots after polls to elect new state governors closed on Saturday, amid reports of violence in several parts of the country.

At least 19 ad hoc electoral officials were kidnaped and later rescued in the southeastern Imo state, said Chinenye Chijioke, the spokesperson of the Independence National Electrical Commission (INEC) in the state.

Also, local media reported that two people were killed in the city of Bori in the southern Rivers State when police opened fire to disperse voters protesting alleged election irregularities.

Voting in Lagos, Nigeria's business hub also witnesses violence.

In a video message, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the governorship candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP) in the state, said his party agent was shot dead.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi told Anadolu that the details of violence will be released later.

Nigerians headed for governorship poll on Saturday to elect new governors in 28 of the country’s 36 states for a four-year term.