Mobs enforce boycott in fuel subsidy battle
Angry mobs of protesters in Nigeria stopped garage owners from selling fuel while others lit a bonfire on a major highway in an attempt to thwart the government’s removal of a cherished consumer subsidy which had kept petrol affordable for more than two decades.
A rapidly growing group of protesters was going from garage to garage, telling owners not to sell petrol at the inflated price of about 3.50 dollars (£2.25) a gallon. That is more than double what consumers paid only days ago.
And on one major highway in the city of Lagos, protesters yelled: “Occupy the express!” and lit a bonfire which forced scores of drivers to turn around.