The Enugu State High Court on Thursday has ordered the government of the United Kingdom (UK) to pay compensation of £20 million to each of the families of the 21 coal miners killed on November 18, 1949.
The presiding judge, Justice Anthony Onovo, stated that the killings of the coal miners were “unlawful and constituted an extrajudicial violation of the right to life.”
He said, “These defenseless coal miners were asking for improved work conditions; they were not embarking on any violent action against the authorities, but yet were shot and killed.
“The 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th respondents should pay £20 million per victim, totaling £420 million, payable by the British Government as effective remedy and compensation for the violations of the right to life.
“They will also pay post-judgment interest at 10 percent per annum until fully paid, while claims for pre-judgment interest and exemplary damages is whereby refused.”
Justice Onovo also urged the Nigerian government to initiate and follow up on diplomatic engagement with the UK government within 60 days.
Legal counsel to the applicants described the court’s ruling as “historic.
The suit was filed by a human rights activist, Greg Onoh, seeking from the British government compensation for the families of the victims, an acknowledgement of liability, and a formal apology.
In the suit, respondents were listed as follows: the secretary of state for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (first); the British government (second); the federal government of Nigeria (third); the attorney-general of the federation (fourth); the head of the Commonwealth (fifth); and the government of the United Kingdom (sixth).
The first, second, fifth, and sixth respondents were not represented by legal counsel.
This comes after over seven decades when the miners were shot during their protests of poor working conditions, unpaid back wages, and also racial wage disparities during the British colonial rule.
Legal experts cited the UK’s compensation to Mau Mau victims in Kenya in favor of the families of the killed Enugu coal miners.
