Nigerians protest at fuel prices

LAGOS, Nigeria (Reuters) — Nigerian labor union activists marched through the commercial capital Lagos on Wednesday to protest against a 30 percent rise in the price of fuel that they say further burdens tens of millions of poor Nigerians.

The Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) had billed the march as the first in a series of mass protests that would also highlight what it sees as President Olusegun Obasanjo’s failure to improve services to the poor majority in six years in power.
The demonstration started off small but numbers rose to about 2,000 after passing through busy Yaba market. It had yet to reach Ikeja where speakers were due to address the crowd.

“The government doesn’t have any feelings for the poor masses. Our food is very expensive in the markets and there’s no employment,” said Esther Udueyin, one of the protesters.

Reuters