Nigerians begin four-day strike to protest fuel prices

A four-day nationwide strike to protest fuel price hikes began in Nigeria yesterday, and the streets of the country's huge commercial capital of Lagos were empty, with most businesses, banks and schools closed.

"The strike is on. Nigerians are united over this," said Owei Lakemfa, a spokesman for Nigeria Labor Congress, the nation's main labor union.

On Sunday, NLC chief Adams Oshiomhole vowed the strike would go ahead as planned, and accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of shunning dialogue to resolve union grievances.

Union leaders are demanding the government reverse price hikes last month that saw the price of fuel in Nigeria rise from 43 naira (US$0.31) per liter to 53 naira per liter.

In Lagos, soldiers and anti-riot police were out on the streets in force, patrolling in armored vehicles through the city's central business district.

Oshiomhole, president of the 29-union umbrella group, the Nigeria Labor Congress, spoke publicly on Sunday for the first time since security forces detained and released him Saturday in the capital, Abuja.

Talks last Friday between union and government representatives failed to reach an accord on fuel prices, setting the stage for the strike.

Oshiomhole was detained Saturday morning by state security police at Abuja's international airport as he was waiting for a flight to a southern Nigeria city. A 15-member team of security forces "overpowered him, wrestled him to the ground and bundled him into a standby" car, his union said in a statement, citing witnesses.

Oshiomhole said he was held most of Saturday and released in the evening, after which he went to a hospital for treatment of bruises sustained during the detention. He made contact with union colleagues only Sunday morning, he said.

He did not say why officials had detained him. Information Minister Chukwuemeka Chikelu said on Saturday the detention was the result of a "misunderstanding with some low-level security officials."

Union leaders insist the strike will be peaceful, as workers have been directed to stay at home. They warned, however, that a heavy-handed police response could trigger mass protests.

"The Nigerian police must not be an instrument of terrorism," Oshiomhole said.

Police spokesman Chris Olakpe said a nationwide security alert has been issued.

"We have beefed up security nationwide ... and put in place logistics to ensure every law-abiding citizen goes about his lawful duty," Olakpe said.

Nigeria is Africa's leading crude produce and the world's seventh-largest oil exporter.