Nigeria Elections: Presidential Elections Postponed Following Increased Violence by Boko Haram

The Nigerian government announced Saturday plans to postpone its Feb. 14 presidential election and its legislative elections because of the increase in violence caused by Boko Haram, according to the Washington Times via the Associated Press.

President Goodluck Jonathan's ruling party, People's Democratic Party, faces a tight race against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari. Analysts say the race will be the tightest election since the ruling party came to power in 1999.

The Independent National Electoral Commission officials will meet with political parties to discuss whether Nigeria is prepared to hold elections.

The Boko Haram jihadi group has seized 30 villages and towns over the past year. The organization has grown in strength and size in recent months. Officials say the group has enough military might to fight equally with the Nigerian military forces. The group also has close to 6,000 fighters.

Boko Haram has gotten its hands on a plethora of military-grade weaponry including armed personnel carriers. They have been able to retrieve these weapons from retreating Nigerian troops.

Officials say the group is attempting to control parts of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Most of the violence in Nigeria is occurring in the northeast borders, where Boko Haram has set up an operating base. The group's location borders Chad, Niger and Cameroon, which allows the group easy access to cross borders into the neighboring countries.

In recent months, Boko Haram has carried out increasingly violent acts. In Cameroon and Niger, the group has killed more than 100 civilians and injured more than 500. Last month, the group allegedly committed a massacre of nearly 2,000 people in the Nigerian town of Baga. The continued violence has driven at least 1.5 million people from their homes.

Over the past two weeks, the Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon military collective have been launching an offensive against Boko Haram. African Union officials are establishing a multinational military force of 7,500 fighters to push against the growing control Boko Haram has over towns and villages. The African Union is looking to the United Nations and the European Union for assistance.