The judgment of the Enugu State High Court awarding £420 million in compensation to the families of coal miners killed in 1949 has been formally transmitted to the United Kingdom government for enforcement.
The court ruled in favour of 21 miners who were shot dead by colonial police during a protest over poor working conditions. The decision, delivered 75 years after the incident, ordered the UK government to pay £20 million to each of the victims’ families.
The judgment, delivered on February 5, 2026, by Justice Anthony Onovo, held the United Kingdom liable as Nigeria’s colonial authority at the time of the killings. The ruling mandated payment within 60 days and required the UK to report compliance to the court within 90 days.
Professor Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, who led the legal action on behalf of the families, confirmed at a press conference in Abuja that the judgment has been served on the British government through the British High Commissioner in Nigeria for execution.
He expressed confidence that the UK would comply with the ruling, describing the verdict as long-awaited justice for the slain miners and their families after decades of pain and loss.
Recounting the events of November 18, 1949, Akinseye-George stated that the miners had embarked on a protest against harsh and discriminatory labour conditions. Instead of addressing their grievances, colonial police reportedly opened fire on the unarmed workers, killing 21 of them instantly.
He also commended human rights activist Mazi Greg Nwanchukwu Onoh for initiating the legal proceedings that culminated in the historic judgment.
In addition to the £420 million compensation, the court ordered that failure to comply would attract a 10 percent post-judgment interest per annum until the debt is fully paid. The UK authorities were also directed to issue a formal apology to the victims’ families and publish it in four Nigerian newspapers and three UK newspapers
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