An Enugu State High Court has ordered the United Kingdom to pay £20 million each to the families of 21 coal miners killed by colonial authorities in November 1949, ruling that the incident constituted an unlawful and extrajudicial violation of the victims’ right to life.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, the presiding judge, Justice Anthony Onovo, declared the killings unjustified and held the British government responsible for reparations. The court also directed the UK to issue a formal apology to the victims’ families, to be published in newspapers in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
The suit was instituted by Greg Onoh, who sought a declaration of liability, an apology, and compensation for the descendants of the miners killed at the Iva Valley coal mine in present-day Enugu.
Respondents in the case included the UK Foreign Office, the British government, the Nigerian Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, the head of the Commonwealth, and the UK government. None of the British respondents appeared in court or were represented during proceedings.
In his ruling, Justice Onovo stated that the miners were unarmed civilians protesting harsh working conditions and unpaid wages when they were shot.
“These defenceless coal miners were asking for improved work conditions; they were not embarking on any violent action against the authorities, yet they were shot and killed,” the judge said.
The court ordered the first, second, fifth, and sixth respondents to jointly pay a total of £420 million, £20 million for each of the 21 victims, along with post-judgment interest of 10 per cent per annum until full payment. However, claims for pre-judgment interest and exemplary damages were dismissed.
Justice Onovo further directed the Nigerian government to commence diplomatic engagement with the British authorities within 60 days to pursue enforcement of the judgment and secure justice for the victims’ families.
On November 1, 1949, coal miners at the Iva Valley mine in Enugu, then the administrative capital of Nigeria’s Eastern Region, embarked on a strike over unpaid wages and harsh working conditions under British colonial rule. At the time, coal was a major energy source and a key revenue earner for the colonial administration.
Colonial authorities ordered the mine shut, a directive resisted by the striking workers. During the confrontation, the colonial police chief, F S Philip, allegedly instructed officers to open fire on the protesters, killing at least 21 miners and injuring several others.
Those killed were Sunday Anyasodo, Ani Oha, Andrew J Obiekwe Okonkwo, Augustine Chiwetalu, Onoh Ugwu, Ngwu Offor, Ndunguba Eze, Okafor Agu, Livinus Ukachunwa, Jonathan Agu Ozoani, Moses Ikegbu Okoloha, Chukwu Ugwu, Thomas Chukwu, Simon Nwachukwu, Agu Alo, Ogbonnia Ani Chima, Nnaji Nwachukwu, William Nwaku, James Onoh Ekeowa, Felix Nnaji, and Ani Nwaekwe.
