Thousands Flee Nigeria Election Riots

Goodluck Jonathan's victory in Nigeria's presidential election has sparked deadly rioting across the nation's predominately Muslim north. The Nigerian Red Cross says many people have been killed and thousands more displaced by violence involving supporters of Jonathan's defeated rival Muhammadu Buhari, Reuters reports. Homes and churches have been torched and curfews have been declared in five states.

Buhari supporters allege electoral fraud, but international observers say the election was Nigeria's fairest in decades. "We must quickly move away from partisan battlegrounds," Jonathan—who comes from the country's south—said in his acceptance speech. "Nobody's political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian." Nigeria's military, which relinquished power 12 years ago, says it stands firmly behind the government and civilian rule. (More Goodluck Jonathan stories.)