Nationwide strike in Nigeria over fuel costs

Nigerian unions have launched a nationwide strike over the elimination of a government fuel subsidy.

Correspondents say the strike is likely to bring parts of the country, Africa's largest oil exporter, to a standstill.There have been angry protests since the subsidy ended on 1 January as fuel and transport costs have doubled.

Members of parliament have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to reconsider, but he has said the subsidy was economically unsustainable.
The two main union organisations behind the strike have said as many as eight million Nigerians will not go to work.The unions vowed to press ahead with the indefinite general strike despite a court order restraining them from it.