Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission is urging would-be voters to turn out for the scheduled voter registration session in January, in hopes for a "free fair and credible elections in 2011," a Commission spokesman said Thursday. 

"This reassurance is necessary against the backdrop of the theft of some Direct Data Capture machines at the Lagos airport, " said Kayode Robert Idowu, a Commission spokesman in a press statement. 

On Tuesday, 20 voting machines were stolen at the Lagos airport, out of a total of 6,000 brought into the country by Zinox Technologies Ltd., Idowu said. Sixteen machines have been recovered so far and security agents are investigating the case, he said. 

The equipment, meant for registering voters for the upcoming election in Nigeria, is comprised of laptops and webcams. It was stolen from a clearing point at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, said Idowu. 

The equipment was the first consignment ordered to help register voters for the 2011 elections. 

The presidential election is expected to take place in April 9. 

President Goodluck Jonathan, who became president after the death of Umaru Yar'Adua earlier this year, is running for election to the office. He will be challenged in the primaries by another former vice president of Nigeria. 

Atiku Abubakar is the consensus candidate put forward by a bloc of leaders from Nigeria's influential Northern Political Leaders Forum, which announced in September that it would name someone to take on Jonathan in the presidential primaries for the People's Democratic Party. 
Who is urging voters?
Are they would-be voters?
Why they are addressed?
When?
What was stolen?
Where?
How many?
Out of how many?
How many been recovered?
Which company imported those machines?
Is anyone investigating?
Who?
Who is the current president?
Is he on the ballot?
Who will be his contender?
What is his name?
Who are supporting him?
When they announced that?
Who was the previous president?
What happened to him?
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission is urging would-be voters
yes
urging would-be voter
They want a free and credible election
in hopes for a "free fair and credible elections in 2011
2011
in 2011
voting machines
20 voting machines were stolen at the Lagos airport
Lagos airport
tolen at the Lagos airport
, 20 voting machines
, 20 voting machines were stolen
6,000
 20 voting machines were stolen at the Lagos airport, out of a total of 6,000 
Sixteen machines
Sixteen machines have been recovered
Zinox Technologies Ltd
brought into the country by Zinox Technologies Ltd
yes
security agents are investigating the case
security agents
security agents are investigating the case, he said. 
Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan, who became president
yes
 is running for election to the office.
another former vice president of Nigeria.
 He will be challenged in the primaries by another former vice president of Nigeria. 
Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar is the consensus candidate put forward
Northern Political Leaders Forum
bloc of leaders from Nigeria's influential Northern Political Leaders Forum
September
which announced in September
Umaru Yar'Adua
 became president after the death of Umaru Yar'Adua 
He died
the death of Umaru Yar'Adua 