Niger stages historic elections despite jihadist attacks

Around 7.4 million people are registered to vote for the ballot for presidency, which coincides with legislative elections.

The first voters in the Sahel state of Niger went to the polls on Sunday for an election that could seal the country's first-ever peaceful handover between elected presidents, despite a bloody jihadist insurgency.

The West African country has been chronically unstable since gaining independence from France 60 years ago, and is ranked the world's poorest country according to the UN's Human Development Index.