Violence across northern Nigeria has left 50 people dead, hundreds wounded and thousands displaced. The riots were sparked by Goodluck Jonathan's victory in weekend elections.

Rioting raged across the Muslim north, although President Goodluck Jonathan promised to work for unity.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan said, "We have, by this election, found our unity as one nation under God. We will not let you down. We will not let Nigerians down."

But not all were in agreement.

Rioters burned homes, churches and police stations in Kaduna state, 180 kilometers away from the capital Abuja. They were stirred up by the claims of Jonathan's Muslim rival Muhammadu Buhari that the election was rigged. And security forces struggled to cope.

Hatuna John, Fed. Police Commissioner, Kaduna,said, "We were over-stretched because they came out in their thousands. We estimate their numbers across the state to be close to a million."

Across the state, mobs engineered two prison breaks, burned down the home of one powerful traditional ruler and attempted to destroy the home of Nigeria's vice president.

Burned bodies, charred remains of burning vehicles and roadblocks were left behind by those who frantically fled amid the chaos.

Hospitals were overflowing.

Officers recovered 31 corpses from the city of Kaduna alone on Tuesday, with more likely yet to be found.

Computer engineer Micheael Christian said, "This is not the kind of country we want. We want a better Nigeria, we want something that is good for Nigeria."

Police arrested more than 300 people during the rioting, but many citizens remained inside their homes as police and military helicopters flew overhead and soldiers filled the streets.

Nigeria is a nation of 150 million people, divided between the Christian-dominated south and the Muslim north.

Thousands have been killed in religious violence in the past decade.