Key Facts

• A Nigerian court ordered the UK to pay £420 million for the 1949 killing of 21 coal miners by colonial police.
• The miners were protesting for better working conditions when they were killed.
• The court described the killings as illegal and a violation of the miners' rights to life.
• The UK government has not yet been formally informed of the ruling and was not present during the legal proceedings.
• The incident played a significant role in Nigeria's movement towards independence, which occurred 11 years later.
• Families and human rights groups have been seeking acknowledgment and compensation for these deaths for many years.
• The miners were protesting against harsh conditions, unequal wages, and unpaid back pay at the Iva Valley coal mine.