The United Kingdom government has said it has not received any formal notification of the recent judgment by the Enugu State High Court, which ordered Britain to pay £420 million in compensation to the families of 21 coal miners killed in 1949.
A UK government spokesperson told BBC that it could not comment on the matter until official communication is received from Nigeria.
On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Justice Anthony Onovo of the Enugu High Court ruled that the killings of striking miners at the Iva Valley coal mine on November 18, 1949, were unlawful and amounted to an extrajudicial violation of the right to life.
The judgment ordered the British government to pay £20 million to each family, totaling £420 million, and to issue a formal apology to be published in newspapers in Nigeria and the UK.
The Lawsuit
The case was filed by human rights activist Greg Onoh, who sought liability declarations, reparations, and a public apology. Respondents included the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the British government, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
None of the UK-based respondents were represented in court during the proceedings.
The case centres on the Iva Valley massacre, when colonial police opened fire on miners protesting poor working conditions and unpaid wages.
The strike began on November 1, 1949, and escalated after authorities ordered the mine closed.
Police Chief F.S. Philip allegedly instructed officers to shoot, killing at least 21 miners and injuring many others.
Coal mining was a major source of energy and revenue for the British colonial administration at the time.
The UK government has stated it will await formal legal notification before responding to the ruling.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian court directed the Federal Government to begin diplomatic engagement with Britain to pursue enforcement of the judgment.
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