Boko Haram kills 39, legislator, disrupting Nigeria election
By Associated Press
Mar 28, 2015 5:00 PM CDT
People gather around election officials lit by an auto rickshaw as ballots are being counted in one of the polling stations in Kaduna, Nigeria, Saturday, March 28, 2015. Nigeria has extended voting to Sunday after problems occurred as millions turned out Saturday to vote in a presidential election that...   (Associated Press)

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Witnesses and officials say Boko Haram extremists killed 39 people, including a legislator, in northeastern Nigeria, disrupting the country's presidential election.

All the attacks took place in the northeast where the military Friday announced it had cleared the Islamic extremists from all major centers.

Residents of the town of Miringa say Boko Haram militants torched people's homes early Saturday and then shot them as they tried to escape. Twenty-five reportedly died.

Witnesses and officials say another 14 people, including Gombe state legislator Umaru Ali, died later Saturday in attacks on the towns of Biri and Dukku.

Elsewhere, tens of millions of Nigerians took part in the closely contested and largely peaceful presidential election.

See 5 more photos