Pfizer challenges Nigerian government in Trovan cases

13.01.2008

Pfizer said Saturday that it was pleased that Dr. Segun Dogunro, who was unlawfully taken into custody this week by the police from Kano State, had been released on bail, but promised to use every legal means to challenge the illegal arrest and intimidation of its former and current employees.

The company said that it had filed a motion in a Kano State Court seeking to set aside the arrest warrant issued in December. It has also filed an appeal to overturn the arrest warrants with the Court of Appeal. A third challenge has also been filed in a Lagos State Court where it previously won a stay of proceedings in the Kano case seeking to enforce the stay and prevent Kano State from serving, or arresting, defendants living in Lagos without permission from the Lagos Court as required by Nigerian law.

“The Nigerian government has repeatedly evaded its own laws and violated the human rights of Nigerian citizens in its efforts to press its legal claims against Pfizer and its former staff,” said Chris Loder, a Pfizer spokesman. “Pfizer will challenge the government at every step to protect the rights of the company and its staff, and force the government to follow the rule of law.”

Pfizer said that the three legal actions it has mounted are based on a common set of arguments. The company said that the arrest warrants issued by the Kano State Court and the arrest of Dr. Dogunro, were improper because the defendants in the Kano criminal case were not served summonses, and thus, were not required to appear in court.

Moreover, the company has argued that the warrants, and the arrest of its former medical director, violated the stay order issued by the Lagos State Court, and that the police from Kano State cannot serve, or arrest people in Lagos, without permission from the Lagos Court, which has not been granted.

Pfizer said that, while it seeks to stop the government’s illegal actions, it will continue to vigorously defend its 1996 Trovan clinical trial, which helped save lives and was conducted with the approval of the Nigerian government, consent of the families or guardians of participants, and consistent with the laws of Nigeria.