Lagos, Nigeria - There seems to be no end in sight to the ongoing nation-wide strike called by Nigeria's organized labour to protest high fuel prices in Africa's top oil-producing nation, as the protests enter the fourth day Thursday. A meeting brokered by a committee of the House of Representatives (parliament) ended in a stalemate Wednesday night, as both the government and the two main labour unions - Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) - stuck to their guns.

Reiterating that the government would not reinstate fuel subsidy, the removal of which precipitated the strike, Information Minister Labaran Maku told journalists, after the weekly meeting of the decision-making Federal Executive Council (FEC) in the capital city of Abuja, that the protesters were rather inflicting more pain on themselves.

“The fact is that this protest is only adding more pains to the people of Nigeria and in some places we are also beginning to see that elements outside labour are already virtually in the forefront and this is creating a lot of security problems in some states,” the minister said.

Labour responded in kind, accusing the federal government of insensitivity and vowing to press on with the strike until the government reverts to the old petrol price of 65 naira (US$0.4) per litre, from the new prices of between 141 and 200 naira (US$0.9 and US$1.3).

“It is rather unfortunate and indeed tragic that the government would say there is no going back. It does not show responsibility,' said the acting Scribe of the NLC, Mr. Owei Lakemfa. “It shows that the Federal Government does not listen to the popular demand of the people. However, we must make the government to realise that sovereignty lies with the people and not the government.”

NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar put it more grimly, saying the unions may shut down the country's oil production if the strike drags on.

“Let me tell you how we work. We are also very patriotic Nigerians. We do these things in stages. Our intention is not to cripple the economy or to bring further hardship to Nigerians. The oil installations are the last things we will tamper with because of the technicalities involved.

'It is only when this thing becomes protracted that we will do that. We know that (oil) is the live wire of Nigeria where you produce 2.2 million barrels of oil per day. And by the nature of these installations, if you shut down an oil well that produces about 200, 000 barrels per day, it will take at least four months before you can get it back to normalcy. It is only when it gets to the extreme, that government is not ready to listen, that we will also close our eyes to do that,” he said while addressing protesters in Abuja.

As more protesters poured onto the streets in major cities across the country on Wednesday, violence flared in some parts, including the central Niger State where buildings and cars were set ablaze, forcing the state government to announce a 24-hour curfew.

The violence apparently shook the federal government, which threatened to bring the full weight of the law on those involved.

“While government recognizes the right of Nigerians to peaceful demonstration, it will not fold its arms or stand idly by, while the current situation deteriorates into a state of general insecurity,' Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke said in a statement.

“Henceforth, government will not hesitate to bring to bear, the full weight of the law on erring persons or group of persons howsoever called that engage in any act that threatens the peace and stability of the country or its corporate existence,” he said.

An unconfirmed report said the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives are planning to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday to ask him to suspend the subsidy removal, to pave the way for negotiation with labour, in order to end the strike.

The strike comes at a delicate period for Nigeria, which is experiencing worsening insecurity from the activities of the Islamic sect Boko Haram.

On Wednesday, suspected members of the sect attacked a vehicle in which six southerners were travelling, when they stopped to refuel their car in Potiskum, northern Yobe state, killing four of the occupants and injuring two.

It was the latest in a series of Boko Haram attacks targeting southerners and Christians in the north, and which have triggered reprisals in at least two predominantly-Christian southern states.

In a video posted on the Internet Wednesday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau warned that the group would continue to attack Christians and security agents, saying the group cannot be defeated through force.

Pana 12/01/2012