** Can peace and the free machete be far behind?
From Al Jazeera
Machete prices chopped in Nigeria
The price of machetes has halved in Nigeria since the end of general elections after a fall in demand for thugs sponsored by politicians, state-owned News Agency of Nigeria said.
The NAN survey found that a good quality machete in the northeastern state of Gombe was now selling for 400 naira ($3) as against 800 naira before the elections.
"A price survey on machetes, which served as a popular weapon among political thugs in the state, indicated ... a drop in the price of the implement," NAN reported.
Machetes are primarily used as a tool for farming in Nigeria but they are also popular among political gangsters.
Usman Masi, a trader quoted by NAN, said: "Before the conduct of the general elections, I was selling a minimum of seven machetes daily but can hardly sell one a day now."
Africa's most populous country returned to civilian rule in 1999 after three decades of almost continuous army rule. Violence remains a feature of politics, especially during the build-up to elections.
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