Twenty-one families who lost their loved ones in the November 18, 1949 massacre of coal miners in Iva Valley, Enugu, by the British Colonial Government have dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria, the British Government, the Head of the Commonwealth, and others to court, seeking compensation.
In Suit No: E/909/2024, filed at the Enugu High Court on behalf of the families by Mazi Greg Nwachukwu Onoh, the plaintiffs argue that the “deliberate and excessive use of lethal force” by colonial police against unarmed and defenseless miners constituted a grave violation of their right to life, both under domestic and international laws applicable at the time.
The case has been brought against:
The Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), United Kingdom
The British Government
The Federal Government of Nigeria
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice
The Head of the Commonwealth
Represented by Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, the plaintiffs maintain that:
The execution of the miners was a state-sanctioned murder, amounting to extrajudicial killings and human rights violations.
The massacre was an unlawful and disproportionate response to a peaceful labor protest.
The use of state violence to suppress legitimate labor grievances violated both colonial-era laws and international human rights norms.
The plaintiffs are seeking:
Acknowledgment of liability from the respondents for the wrongful execution of the miners.
A formal apology from the British Government for the extrajudicial killings.
Comprehensive compensation for the families and dependents of the deceased miners.
A judicial declaration affirming that the massacre was a gross violation of the right to life and an abuse of state power.
A binding order compelling the Attorney General of Nigeria to engage diplomatically with the British Government to secure redress, in accordance with the Magna Carta (1215) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).
The Enugu High Court, on November 12, 2024, granted the plaintiffs leave to proceed with the enforcement of the fundamental rights of the deceased miners and authorized the service of court processes on the respondents.
On February 13, 2025, the substantive application was called for hearing. However, as the respondents had not yet filed a rejoinder, the Federal Government’s lead counsel, Mrs. N.R. Chude, requested more time, a request not opposed by the plaintiffs’ lead counsel, Prof. Akinseye-George.
Following this, Justice A.O. Onovo adjourned the case to April 15, 2025, for definitive hearing.
This legal action represents a landmark attempt to hold both the British and Nigerian governments accountable for failing to provide justice for one of the most heinous colonial-era massacres in Africa.