Lawyers representing the families of 21 Nigerian coal miners killed by British colonial authorities have pressed the British Government to comply with a £420 million judgement issued by an Enugu State High Court.
On 5 February 2026, Justice Anthony Onovo of the High Court in Enugu ruled that the British Government and several other respondents are jointly liable for “unlawful and extrajudicial violations” of the miners’ right to life during a labour protest at the Iva Valley coal mine on 18 November 1949. The judge awarded £20 million in compensation to each family and directed that claimants should receive “effective remedy and compensation” for the killings.
The massacre occurred when colonial-era police opened fire on unarmed striking workers demanding better wages, safer conditions and unpaid back pay, killing 21 and injuring dozens.
In Abuja on 20 February 2026, Professor Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), lead counsel for the victims’ families, said that all procedural steps to trigger enforcement of the judgement have been completed and that the onus is now on the British Government to comply. “We have served the certified true copy of the full judgement on the respondents,” he said. “We have written formally to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Honourable Attorney-General and also formally notified the British Government through the office of His Excellency, the High Commissioner at the British High Commission, and demanded compliance.”
Prof. Akinseye-George stressed that the United Kingdom, long regarded as a global proponent of human rights and the rule of law, “is expected to respect the decision of a competent Nigerian court and comply with its orders.” He described the judgement as “historic” and reaffirmed that “history does not erase responsibility.”
Under the terms set by Justice Onovo, compensation is to attract a 10 per cent annual post-judgement interest until fully paid, and only limited aspects of claims for pre-judgement interest and exemplary damages were rejected. The judge also ordered the British Government to issue unreserved written apologies to the families, publish them in major Nigerian newspapers and in prominent UK national dailies, and initiate diplomatic engagement within set deadlines.