Daily Telegraph: Nigerian unions put Shell in dock: “Nigeria's union leaders yesterday declared embattled oil business Shell to be an "enemy of the Nigerian people" and called for protests against the company.” (ShellNews.net)

By Rosie Murray-West, City Correspondent (Filed: 01/11/2004)

Nigeria's union leaders yesterday declared embattled oil business Shell to be an "enemy of the Nigerian people" and called for protests against the company.

"Shell has decided to side with the government to oppress our people and to mix themselves into Nigerian internal politics," said Adams Oshiomhole, leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress, as he called for a general strike.

Mr Oshiomhole said that Shell had taken legal action to try to prevent the white-collar oil union Pengassan from joining a strike planned from November 16, which union leaders warned would disrupt Nigeria's oil exports.

A two-day strike at Shell's Nigerian production facilities last month pushed oil prices above $49 a barrel. The 2m barrels a day Nigeria produces is particularly prized for its low sulphur content, which makes refining easier.

If further strikes are held, experts have predicted that fuel prices will soar again, although they have begun to stabilise.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2004/11/01/cnshel01.xml