This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-africa-16579001
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Nigerian fuel subsidy: Strike 'suspended' | Nigerian fuel subsidy: Strike 'suspended' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's unions have suspended their strike after the president agreed to cut the cost of petrol following a week of protests. | Nigeria's unions have suspended their strike after the president agreed to cut the cost of petrol following a week of protests. |
| The strike was called after prices doubled when President Goodluck Jonathan removed a fuel subsidy on 1 January. | The strike was called after prices doubled when President Goodluck Jonathan removed a fuel subsidy on 1 January. |
| Earlier on Monday, he announced that he would restore part of this subsidy. | Earlier on Monday, he announced that he would restore part of this subsidy. |
| Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but it imports almost all of its refined fuel. | Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but it imports almost all of its refined fuel. |
| Correspondents say 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. | |
| The unions had said that all street protests should be cancelled because of the security situation. However, police in the commercial capital, Lagos, on Monday fired live bullets into the air and tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters. | |
| Army checkpoints have been seen in parts of the city for the first time since the protests began a week ago. | |
| Giving the union response to the president's announcement, Nigeria Labour Congress chief Abdulwahed Omar told a news conference in the capital, Abuja: "Labour and its allies formally announce the suspension of the strike, mass rallies and protests across the country." | |
| However, the BBC's Mark Lobel in Lagos says that while the bulk of the protesters have come from the unions, it is not yet clear whether others, who have been organising themselves through social media, will follow their call to suspend protests. | |
| In his televised address to the nation, President Jonathan said the government would "continue to pursue full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector". | |
| "However," he added, "given the hardships being suffered by Nigerians, and after due consideration and consultations with state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly, government has approved the reduction of the pump price of petrol to 97 naira (about $0.60) per litre." | |
| The price of petrol had risen from 65 naira ($0.40; £0.26) to 140 naira when the subsidy was removed without warning on 1 January. |