NIGERIAN ELECTIONS Many Feared Dead

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30882, 15 October 1965, Page 17

NIGERIAN ELECTIONS Many Feared Dead

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) LAGOS, Oct. 14. Chanting crowds looted and burned houses in Lagos today and many are feai ed dead in post-election violence.

There are also reports of disturbances near the Western Nigerian regional capital of Ibadan.

The district elections ended yesterday with the two main parties each claiming victory.

On the outskirts of Lagos i police and troops moved ini after demonstrators launched . an attack on the houses of 1 politicians. Several houses blazed away; as firemen fought a losing; battle to cope with the situation. Many residents were reported hurrying out of the I area, leaving property behind.l Many Believed Lost

Delayed reports reaching Lagos from villages around Ibadan said the number killed in widespread violence was not officially known. Many lives were believed lost. Broadcasts Disagree

Tension blew up into violence when two radio stations disagreed in broadcasting the election result. Radio Nigeria said the governing Nigerian National Democratic Party had won. A later announcement by the Eastern Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (Govern-ment-owned) gave the opposition United Progressive Grand Alliance as the decisive victors.

The second broadcast was greeted in Mushin district with wild cheers and soon a band of demonstrators began

a mass attack on politicians’ homes. Results from 23 constituencies had still not come in today to complete the fiercelycontested elections. But the N.N.D.P. leader. Chief Samuel Akintola, was sworn in as regional Premieifor a second terra when the electoral commission announced his party had gained 60 against 11 opposition seats in the 94-seat Western House of Assembly. The U.P.G.A. claimed the commission had fabricated the results and said it, in fact, had won. It announced the formation of a 10-man “interim government." The local U.P.G.A. leader, Alhaji D. S. Adegbenro named himself Premier of the region.