Everything News
No fewer than 18 electricity towers supplying power to various franchise areas in three states have been destroyed and stolen by vandals within five days. The states are Rivers, Abia, and Kano. The Transmission Company of Nigeria announced in a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, on Sunday in Abuja. It
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, presided over by Justice G. O Ollor has granted bail to the tune of N1 million each to three ex-soldiers and seven civilians facing trial over alleged armed robbery, burglary and receipt of stolen property. Recall that the Nigerian Police Force had arraigned
Read More
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, presided over by Justice G. O Ollor has granted bail to the tune of N1 million each to three ex-soldiers and seven civilians facing trial over alleged armed robbery, burglary and receipt of stolen property. Recall that the Nigerian Police Force had arraigned
Customers of Guaranty Trust Bank continue to complain about their inability to access banking services due to ongoing downtime, despite the bank’s claim of completing the transition to a new core banking application system. For days, customers of the bank, have been unable to use its digital platforms following the movement to the new banking
Read More
Customers of Guaranty Trust Bank continue to complain about their inability to access banking services due to ongoing downtime, despite the bank’s claim of completing the transition to a new core banking application system. For days, customers of the bank, have been unable to use its digital platforms following the movement to the new banking
Human rights lawyer, Professor Yemi Akinseyi-George, SAN, has said the killing of coal miners in Enugu in 1949 amounted to a breach of their right to life. Akinseyi-George, who appeared with P.N Agazie ESQ., stated this at an Enugu High Court on Thursday, during a hearing on the matter with suit No: E/909/2024. “We are
1949 killing of Enugu coal miners, breach of right to life – Lawyer tells court
Human rights lawyer, Professor Yemi Akinseyi-George, SAN, has said the killing of coal miners in Enugu in 1949 amounted to a breach of their right to life.
Akinseyi-George, who appeared with P.N Agazie ESQ., stated this at an Enugu High Court on Thursday, during a hearing on the matter with suit No: E/909/2024.
“We are seeking for the enforcement of the fundamental rights to life of the miners as preserved by extant laws applicable to British-Colonial Nigeria and Nigeria as of today,” he said.
Families of the slain miners, led by Mazi Greg Nwachukwu Onoh, had dragged the British government to court over the execution of the miners in 1949.
Joined in the suit are the Commonwealth & Development Office, FCDO, United Kingdom, British Government, Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; and Head of the Commonwealth.
Onoh, in the suit said: “The deliberate and excessive use of lethal force by colonial police against unarmed and defenseless miners, who were lawfully demanding fair wages from their British employers, constituted grave violation of their rights to life as guaranteed under both domestic and international law applicable at the time.”
During the court hearing which came up on Thursday, the applicants through their lawyers Akinseye-George and Agazie, argued that the indiscriminate execution of the miners amounts to an egregious act of state-sanctioned murder, extrajudicial killing and a flagrant abuse of human rights without legal or moral justification.
They are demanding an unequivocal acknowledgment 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 and comprehensive compensation for the families and dependents of the deceased miners for the irreversible loss inflicted by the British colonial administration.
The court 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 substituted service of the originating processes on the respondents, after which the substantive application was adjourned to 13th February 2025 for hearing.
At the resumed hearing on 13th February 2025, an application for adjournment was made by the counsel to the 3rd and 4th respondents, (Federal Government of Nigeria and Attorney-General of the Federation ), Mrs N.R Chude.
Chude argued that based on the seriousness of the matter, they should be allowed more time to file a rejoinder, a request which was not countered by the lead counsel to applicant, Akinseye-George.
The presiding judge, Justice A.O. Onovo adjourned the case to 15th April 2025.
1949 killing of Enugu coal miners, breach of right to life – Lawyer tells court
