Tina Anthony
29 January 2008
Lagos — Parents of victims of the alleged Kano Pfizer drug trial in 1996 staged another peaceful demonstration, carrying placards outside the premises of Kano High Court.
They asked the Federal Government to ban Pfizer products in Nigeria until it pays compensation and apologizes to Nigeria for using innocent children as guinea pigs.
The presiding judge at the civil case filed against Pfizer by Kano State government, Justice Sunusi Ciroma, listening to the arguments by the counsels of both parties, adjourned the case till 3rd of March, saying the court will deliberate on whether it has the jurisdiction to entertain the case or not on that date.
The counsel to the defendant, Nelson Nzeribe (SAN) had earlier filed a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case, arguing that the motion earlier filed which stipulated that the court lacks jurisdiction should be entertained first.
Justice Ciroma while ruling on whether to start with entertaining the issue of court jurisdiction or on amendment of a motion earlier filed by the plaintiff counsel, Barrister Babatunde Erukeru (SAN), noted that hence both parties have agreed on the issue pertaining to jurisdiction, the next sitting should to deliberate it.
Barrister Erukeru explained that the application for amendment of motion he earlier presented is based on the fact that new facts have emerged on the dirty deal of the pharmaceutical company during the trial.
It would be recalled that Kano State Govenror, Ibrahim Shekarau, while addressing Pfizer victimsd and their parents who took their protest to the state govenment House, had declared that the state government was prepared to follow all the cases in court against Pfizer to it logical conclusion, putting aside out of court settlement, while the victims are demanding for compensation from the company.
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