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Lagos - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan announced Monday a cut in petrol prices of about 30% in a bid to end a nationwide strike now into a second week, as soldiers seized the main protest site in Lagos.
Jonathan made the announcement in a televised national address after a week that saw him remain largely silent in public as the strike and mass protests shut down Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer.
The president charged that the protests had been "hijacked" by those seeking to promote "discord, anarchy and insecurity".
Unions have already vowed to press ahead with the strike, although they said they were calling off street protests due to security concerns voiced to them by Jonathan.
"Government will continue to pursue full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector," Jonathan said in his address.
"However, given the hardships being suffered by Nigerians, and after due consideration and consultations with state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly, government has approved the reduction of the pump price of petrol to 97 naira (about 60 US cents) per litre."
The government ended fuel subsides on January 1, causing petrol prices to more than double from 65 naira per litre to 140 naira or more, sparking the strike and protests that began on January 9.