Justice A.O. Onovo has fixed 29 January, 2026 to rule on the substantive application and or one challenging the jurisdiction of the Enugu State High Court to hear a suit seeking compensation for the victims’ families of the coal miner massacre in 1949.
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Justice Onovo adjourned the ruling after listening to the arguments from the applicant’s lead counsel, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN) with P.N Agazie Esq and that of the 3rd and 4th respondents, Mrs N.R. Chude.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday in Enugu, Akinseye-George said the application seeks to protect the right to life, seek compensation and apology which are recognized by the Nigerian constitution.
He said the court is duty-bound to protect the miners against the gruesome and unprovoked shooting of the 21 defenceless miners, who were merely singing and dancing while asking for their wages and better pay packages.
The senior lawyer argued that the victims’ families of the 21 coal miners deserve to be compensated by the British and UK government because of the inhuman treatment and unjust killing of their loved ones.
Akinseye-George disagreed with the notion that the Federal Government should not be held accountable for the infraction committed by the colonial government.
According to him, the Federal Government should liaise with the British government to pay adequate compensation to coal miners’ victims families maintaining that it’s a constitutional duty.
“Our argument is not that the FG should pay the money but they should facilitate under the Constitution to provide the remedy for the violation of rights to life of the 21 coal miners, who were fatally shot to death without any provocation.
“The FG has the responsibility to liaise and apply diplomatic pressure on the British and UK government, even without judgment,” Akinseye-George added.
The counsel representing the federal government of Nigeria, Mr M.N Chude however, asked the court to decline jurisdiction in the suit, saying the suit is incompetent.
Chude maintained that his client, the Federal Government of Nigeria, cannot be held liable for the Fundamental Rights breach of Rights to life of the defenseless Iva Valley Enugu Coal miners massacre of 18th November 1949.
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