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News Sport Weather World Service Languages Low Graphics version | Change edition About BBC News | Feedback | Help News Front Page Africa Americas Asia-Pacific Europe Middle East South Asia UK Business Health Science/Nature Technology Entertainment ----------------- Have Your Say In Pictures Week at a Glance Country Profiles In Depth Programmes LANGUAGES MORE > Last Updated: Wednesday, 13 October, 2004, 09:15 GMT 10:15 UK E-mail this to a friend Printable version Nigeria strike could be extended Despite Nigeria's oil wealth, most of the population lives in poverty The four-day general strike in Nigeria called over fuel price hikes, now in its third day, could continue after Thursday, trade unions have warned. Union leader Adams Oshiomhole says they may extend the strike beyond Thursday if more violence breaks out after the killing of a boy in Kaduna on Monday. The unions want 25% price rises reversed but the only talks being held are on minimising the impact. Africa's biggest oil producer wants to end heavily subsidised fuel prices. Many Nigerian shops and offices remain closed and the trade union umbrella grouping organising the strike says it remains "quite effective", but so far there has been little disruption to oil production. "We have told the police that if the arrests and harassment continue, we'll have to extend the strike beyond tomorrow," Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) spokesman Owei Lekeimfa told AP news agency. Pipeline fire The strike and a pipeline fire which is disrupting production has helped push the worldwide price of oil to record highs. Nigeria tackles fuel subsidies In pictures: Fuel strike The pipeline which has broken and is on fire is carrying crude oil across the Niger Delta. A spokesman for the Shell company - which runs the Trans-Niger pipeline - said the incident would temporarily disrupt oil production. He said that he expected production to be down by 20,000 barrels for a few days because the oil would have to be transferred to a narrower pipeline while repairs were carried out. Shell produces 2.25m barrels a day in Nigeria. The village where the fire broke out is in the homeland of the Ogoni people, who have a long-running dispute with Shell. Poverty The strike was called by the NLC, to protest against big increases in the price of petrol since fuel subsidies were removed last year. Despite Nigeria's oil wealth, most of the population lives in poverty and many see cheap fuel as the only benefit they receive. The strike was widely observed on Monday leaving many cities deserted early on, though some traders and traffic have returned. The BBC's Anna Borzello in the largest city, Lagos, says many Nigerians support the idea of a strike, but cannot afford not to work. In a bid to take the steam out of the strike, President Olusegun Obasanjo set up a task force to look at the effects of the fuel price rises, which included NLC leader Adams Oshiomhole. Mr Oshiomhole - who leads the 29-union umbrella body - has led two widely observed general strikes in the last 18 months over fuel price increases. He was detained by state security agents two days before the strike began, before being released. 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