A Nigerian court has ordered the British government to pay £420 million ($570 million) to the families of 21 coal miners killed by British security forces in 1949 during colonial rule, according to a report from the state-run news agency.
“These defenseless coal miners were asking for improved work conditions,” Justice Anthony Onovo of the Enugu High Court said. “They were not engaging in any violent action against the authorities, yet they were shot and killed.”
The ruling marks the conclusion of a long-standing fight for justice over the killings, which many in Nigeria view as a key catalyst for the country’s independence movement. Nigeria officially gained independence from Britain 11 years later, in 1960.
The incident took place at the Iva Valley Coal Mine in Enugu State, southeastern Nigeria, where miners were protesting poor working conditions. While occupying the mine, colonial police opened fire, killing 21 and injuring several others.
Justice Onovo also criticized the Nigerian government for failing in its constitutional duty to pursue justice for the victims.
Lawyers representing the victims described the ruling as a historic step, saying it delivers “historical accountability and justice for colonial-era violations” and reaffirms that the right to life transcends borders and changes in sovereignty, according to Yemi Akinseye-George, one of the applicants’ legal representatives.
The British government declined to comment, and no representatives from the UK participated in the court proceedings.