UK ordered to pay $570 million for colonial-era killings

The shooting of 21 Nigerian coal miners during a 1949 protest constituted an extrajudicial violation of the right to life, a judge in the African state has ruled

A Nigerian court has ordered Britain to pay £420 million ($570 million) in compensation to the families of coal miners killed by colonial authorities in the West African country more than seven decades ago.

British colonial police shot dead 21 Nigerian coal miners during a protest at the Iva Valley Coal Mine in Enugu on November 18, 1949, after workers downed tools over poor working conditions, racial disparities in wages, and unpaid arrears.

On Thursday, Enugu High Court Justice Anthony Onovo ruled that the killings amounted to an unlawful, extrajudicial violation of the right to life and ordered the British government to pay £20 million per victim “as effective remedy and compensation.”

“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 judge said, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

READ MORE: The bill is due: Africa demands colonial justice now

The court also ordered the payment of post-judgment interest at a rate of 10% per year until the compensation is fully paid. It further directed that written apologies be published in Nigerian and British newspapers within 60 days, with compensation paid within 90 days.

The case was filed by Nigerian rights activist Greg Onoh, who sought a formal apology and compensation on behalf of the victims’ families. Local media reported that British respondents did not appear in court.

Yemi Akinseye-George, one of the lawyers for the applicants, hailed the ruling as “a significant milestone in the pursuit of historical accountability,” saying it affirms “that the right to life transcends time, borders, and changes in sovereignty.”

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The judgment comes amid long-running disputes over colonial-era grievances and growing debates in recent years over reparations for slavery and colonialism across Africa.

British authorities have yet to publicly respond to the Nigerian court order.

Britain has previously settled some historical abuse claims while insisting that it does not accept legal liability for the actions of the colonial administration. In 2013, London agreed to pay £19.9 million in costs and compensation to more than 5,000 elderly Kenyans who suffered torture and abuse during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s.