Fuel strike suspended

Wednesday, 18 January 2012 10:59

Written by Editor

Nigeria's unions suspended their strike on Monday after President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to cut the cost of petrol following a week of protests. The strike was called after the price of petrol rose from 65 naira (£0.26) a litre to 140 naira when the subsidy was removed without warning on January 1st. It will now cost 97 naira.

The unions said they suspended the strike to save lives, after receiving information that the security forces had been ordered to use all means to end protests. The decision came as the police and army maintained a heavy presence on the streets of most cities. Police in the commercial capital, Lagos, fired live bullets into the air and tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters on Monday.

Army checkpoints were seen in parts of the city for the first time since the protests began a week ago. Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but it imports almost all of its refined fuel.

Foreign correspondents report that many Nigerians see cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from their country's oil wealth, much of which is pocketed by corrupt officials.