Colonialism with a Bullet: Nigeria Demands Millions from the UK for 1949 Miner Massacre

Original article: Colonialismo con bala: Nigeria ordena a Reino Unido pagar indemnización millonaria por masacre de mineros en 1949

On November 18, 1949, colonial authorities from the United Kingdom opened fire on workers peacefully protesting against labor conditions and unpaid wages at the Iva Valley mine.

The High Court of Enugu State in southern Nigeria has ordered the government of the United Kingdom to pay a substantial compensation for the massacre of 21 coal miners, which occurred on November 18, 1949, while the African nation was still under British imperial rule.

The ruling, issued last Thursday by Judge Anthony Onovo, requires London to pay £20 million—over $31.4 million—for each family of the 21 killed workers, totaling £420 million (over $574 million).

This landmark decision not only signifies a crucial step in addressing historical injustices by former colonies, but it reignites the conversation regarding the impunity surrounding atrocities committed during the colonial era. The claim, spearheaded by renowned human rights activist Mazi Greg Onoh, explicitly demanded formal acknowledgment of responsibility, a public apology from London, and financial compensation commensurate with the pain caused by the loss of loved ones.

The defendants included the British government, the Nigerian government, and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, among other high-ranking officials.

«They Did Not Attack Anyone; They Were Shot and Killed»

The Iva Valley massacre occurred amidst social unrest and precarious working conditions. Nigerian miners, exploited in the depths of the Enugu coal mine, had been peacefully protesting for weeks.

They were denouncing the harsh working conditions, the stark racial disparities in wages—where decent pay was reserved solely for European workers—and the systematic and delayed payment of their salaries. Faced with institutional deafness from the colonial administration, the workers adopted a resistance strategy known as the «slowness» tactic and proceeded to symbolically occupy the mine.

It was then that the colonial police, composed of both European and Nigerian officers serving the Crown, opened fire on the defenseless crowd. The grim outcome was 21 fatalities and over 51 serious injuries.

In his judgment, Judge Anthony Onovo did not hold back in his descriptions of the brutality.

«These defenseless coal miners were merely asking for better working conditions,» the magistrate stated in one of the most striking quotes from the ruling. «They did not attack anyone; they were shot and killed.»

Onovo emphasized that the massacre constituted an illegal and extrajudicial violation of the fundamental right to life.

A Judicial Milestone Against London’s Silence

One of the most notable aspects of the legal proceedings was the complete absence of British defense. According to the families’ lawyer, Yemi Akinseye-George, the UK authorities systematically refused to appear in court, «despite due notification» sent via diplomatic channels.

This refusal to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Nigerian court, however, did not prevent justice from moving forward.

«This ruling represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of historical accountability and justice for the violations committed during the colonial period,» stated Akinseye-George shortly after the verdict was announced.

The lawyer insisted on the groundbreaking nature of the ruling, asserting that «the right to life transcends time, borders, and changes in sovereignty.»

Furthermore, he explained that once the families and the prosecution obtain a certified and sealed copy of the judgment, they would ask the Attorney General of the Federation and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to activate diplomatic channels to formally notify London and demand enforcement of the ruling.

Nigeria’s Struggle for Independence and Self-Determination

Historians agree that the Iva Valley massacre was not an isolated incident in the bloody history of British colonialism in West Africa but a genuine turning point. The brutal repression of that labor protest did not quell the Nigerian spirit; instead, it irreversibly strengthened the anti-colonial movement. The echoes of gunfire in the coal mine became the fuel for the struggle for self-determination. Eleven years after that November 18, 1949, Nigeria finally achieved its independence in 1960.

However, the case of the Enugu miners is not the first instance of economic reparation demanded from the UK for its colonial crimes. In 2013, the British government agreed to compensate more than 5,000 Kenyans who suffered torture and mistreatment during the bloody Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s.