It has been 75 years since the 18 November 1949 massacre of coal miners in Iva Valley, Enugu by the British Colonial Government but the families who lost their loved ones have not given up on their quest for justice.
Determined to get justice for that gruesome murder, the concerned families have sued the federal government, the British Government and the Head of the Commonwealth, demanding compensation.
In a suit, NO: E/909/2024, instituted at Enugu High Court on their behalf, by Mazi Greg Nwachukwu Onoh, the families contended that “the deliberate and excessive use of lethal force by colonial police against unarmed and defenceless miners, who were lawfully demanding fair wages from their British employers, constituted grave violation of their right to life as guaranteed under both domestic and international law applicable at the time”.
Joined in the suit are 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; and Head of the Commonwealth.
The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, also argued that “the indiscriminate execution of these miners amounts to an egregious act of state-sanctioned murder, extrajudicial killing, and a flagrant abuse of human rights.”
They are demanding an unequivocal acknowledgement of liability by the respondents for the wrongful and unlawful execution of the 21 coal miners; a formal apology from the British Government for the extrajudicial killings, comprehensive compensation for the families and dependents of the deceased miners for the irreversible loss inflicted by the British colonial administration.
The presiding judge, Justice A.O. Onovo, moved the hearing of the case to April 15th after listening to the prayers made by the lead counsel of the 4th respondent (federal government), Mrs. N.R Chude, that based on the importance of the matter, they should be allowed to file a rejoinder. The lead counsel to the plaintiff, Prof. Akinseye-George, did not counter this request.
The High Court of Enugu had on 12th November 2024, granted leave to the applicants to proceed with the enforcement of the fundamental rights of the deceased victims.
The Court also authorized service of the originating processes on the respondents, after which the substantive application was called up for hearing.
