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From the Associated Press





UP

Nigerians Riot Over Rising Gas Prices


Monday July 7, 2003 8:09 PM

By DULUE MBACHU

Associated Press Writer

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - Riot police fired live rounds and tear gas Monday to disperse angry mobs in Nigeria's commercial capital as fighting erupted between workers over whether to continue an eight-day strike against fuel hikes.

Union officials said at least 10 people were killed during the clashes in Lagos, but police could not confirm that and denied responsibility for any deaths.

President Bush is scheduled to visit Nigeria on Friday as part of his five-day, five-nation African tour. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer and the fifth-biggest supplier of crude to the United States.

Nigeria's main trade unions launched the strike to protest a 50 percent increase in fuel prices ordered June 20 by President Olusegun Obasanjo. That pushed gasoline prices to $1.18 a gallon.

The government says the increase is necessary to end shortages and curb the smuggling of cheap Nigerian fuel to neighboring countries. Despite Nigeria's great petroleum resources, most of its 126 million people live in desperate poverty.

An umbrella group of administrative workers' unions pulled out of the strike Sunday after talks with the government.

``We don't want the agony caused by the strike to continue,'' Sina Luwoye, president of the Trade Union Congress, said Monday.

Angered strike backers took to Lagos' streets, smashing windshields, lighting bonfires and attacking buses taking people to work. When police in protective clothing fired tear gas and bullets over their heads, they melted away, only to regroup elsewhere.

``They're everywhere trying to cause trouble, molesting people going about their business, but we'll deal with them,'' Lagos police spokesman Emmanuel Ighodalo said.

Adams Oshiomhole, head of the blue-collar Nigeria Labor Congress, said police shot dead at least 10 protesters. Police denied that, saying they had no information on any casualties.

By midday, police officials said they had brought the situation under control, and streets in Lagos were visibly calmer.

Meanwhile, unions were considering a government compromise price of $1 a gallon made during a meeting in the capital, Abuja, Oshiomhole said.

Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

A member union of the labor congress threatened to shut down oil exports if the government did not make concessions by Monday.

``We're solidly behind the strike, even though we expect differences with the government to be narrowed today,'' said Peter Akpatason, president of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria.

``Failing that, we'll resume pulling out members from oil facilities.''

Employees of the state-owned electric utility threatened to join the strike Tuesday and cause a nationwide electricity shortage if the government did not compromise.

Except for the protesters, streets in Lagos and several other cities were mostly deserted as the strike entered its eighth day.

Government offices, seaports, banks and major businesses remained closed in most of the country. Only some small shops, restaurants and a few schools reopened.

Some public hospitals worked with skeletal staff. Domestic and international flights also were affected.

In Abuja, some public transportation was running and some banks served customers through the back door, residents said.

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