Angry protests materialized Tuesday after gas costs more than doubled following the subsidies' removal Sunday, resulting in the reported death of a minimum of one person.
iReporters provide 1st glimpse of protests
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and cupboard ministers were meeting in the capital, Abuja, Wednesday to debate their response to the crisis.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trades Union Congress (TUC) urged the govt to immediately restore the subsidies -- or see the country grind to a halt beginning January nine.
"We call on all Nigerians to participate actively in this movement to rescue our country. the stress is on peaceful protests, rallies and strikes while refusing to be intimidated," the unions' statement says.
It additionally calls on "the police, defense force and other security agencies to reject orders that they turn their weapons on fellow Nigerians."
The unions accused police of using "unprecedented force" against peaceful protests held on, resulting in harassment, intimidation and arrests.
Eyewitnesses told CNN the demonstrations have been largely peaceful. However, relatives of a man killed Tuesday during protests in Ilorin, Kwara state, arrange to sue the police and central over his death, their lawyer told CNN.
Computer student Muyideen Mustafa, 23, was visiting his hometown of Ilorin when he was shot by police during an indication, in line with attorney Abdullahi Abdullateef.
Mustafa was not among the protesters however had just "mingled" with the gang when he was hit by a bullet, the lawyer said. He confirmed that pictures circulating on social media Tuesday of a blood-soaked man lying motionless on the bottom showed Mustafa.
"His friends took the image and posted it on Facebook. They wished everybody to visualize what the police had done," Abdullateef said. Mustafa, a Muslim, was buried Wednesday in Ilorin. An investigation into his death has been ordered.
Police have not nonetheless knowledgeable CNN's request for a comment.
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Reports of Mustafa's death on social media have helped stoke public anger over the removal of fuel subsidies.
NLC leader Abdulwaheed Omar warned that each one sectors of the economy would be paralyzed, starting Monday, if the govt failed to act to go off the strike.
"We shall close up all petrol stations, banks, markets and every business premises to achieve our goal," he said. "This strike are going to be indefinite."
The unions' statement urges Nigerians to fill up on basic wants, together with food and water, before the commercial action.
The cost of a liter of gasoline shot up from 65 naira (40¢) to a minimum of 141 naira (86¢) nearly overnight after the subsidies were removed Sunday.
Nigerians say this can be the last straw in an exceedingly country wealthy with oil reserves however with poor infrastructure, wide corruption and huge numbers of impoverished voters.
Union leaders say Nigerian staff are already experiencing unnecessary hardship as a result of the move, that they are saying is additionally affecting the cost of transport, food, medicine, rent and faculty fees.
The government says it believes the removal of fuel subsidies will have a positive impact on the country's economy. It argues the money saved are going to be used to take a position elsewhere, like in refineries.
Despite being one in all Africa's largest oil producers, Nigeria a rustic of 167 million individuals -- has no functioning refineries and has got to import fuel.
Freelance journalist and CNN iReporter Eromo Egbejule, 21, joined some of a march from Lagos to the town of Ojota Wednesday.
"People were protesting as a result of thanks to this policy, the cost of living has skyrocketed," he said. "Everything is now double its worth. Or triple. They were saying their minds."
He saw banners with slogans like "We want good governance, not good luck," a play on the president's name, and "Tunisia are going to be child's play," an understandable reference to the ouster of Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali last year amid mass street protests.
Car tires were set alight and gas stations blockaded in some places Tuesday. Video footage showed black smoke rising on top of crowds of marchers carrying placards or chanting, several of them young men.
CNN iReporter Alex Omamuli, a 35-year-old civil service employee from Abuja, accused the govt of using force to undertake to stifle legitimate protest.
"Please let the planet know that we have a right to demonstrate peacefully however our government shot tear gas at innocent, peaceful protesters," he said.
"We, the youths of Nigeria, won't stop till this insensitive and wicked act is reversed."
Another CNN iReporter, who asked to stay anonymous, took part in protests in Lagos, the country's economic capital.
"The aim of the protest was to disrupt vehicular movement, close up gas stations, and raise individuals to travel back home," he said. "The mood was one in all anger and frustration towards the govt for doing this on New Year's Day."
