Drug test: Kano asks FG to seek extradition of Pfizer�s officials
Kano State Government has asked the Federal Government to extradite officials of Pfizer Pharmaceutical who are based in the United States of America to face trial over the 1996 Trovan drug test.
The State�s request was contained in a letter directed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa.
The letter dated December 5, 2007 and signed by the State Attorney General, Mr. Aliyu Umar, requested for the assistance of the Federal Government in arresting and extraditing the company�s officials who were out of jurisdiction.
The letter reads, �We seek the assistance of the office of the A-GF to invoke any mutual legal assistance arrangement or bilateral or other available extradition understanding between Nigeria and the USA, to procure the apprehension and delivery of these foreign-based accused persons to the law enforcement authorities in Kano to face the charges against them.
The officials sought to be extradited are, the former Chief Executive Officer of the pharmaceutical giant, Mr. William Steeve and the Director of Medical Research, Mr. Scott Hopkins.
Others are the two medical doctors who conducted the drug test, Michael Dune and Deborah Williams.
�At this point, Kano is desirous and ready to begin prosecution of its case against the accused persons, however, these accused persons are outside Nigeria and as such cannot be easily apprehended,� Umar said in the letter.
It will be recalled that the state government had refused the out of court settlement move made by Pfizer.
Kano State Government has asked the Federal Government to extradite officials of Pfizer Pharmaceutical who are based in the United States of America to face trial over the 1996 Trovan drug test.
The State�s request was contained in a letter directed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa.
The letter dated December 5, 2007 and signed by the State Attorney General, Mr. Aliyu Umar, requested for the assistance of the Federal Government in arresting and extraditing the company�s officials who were out of jurisdiction.
The letter reads, �We seek the assistance of the office of the A-GF to invoke any mutual legal assistance arrangement or bilateral or other available extradition understanding between Nigeria and the USA, to procure the apprehension and delivery of these foreign-based accused persons to the law enforcement authorities in Kano to face the charges against them.
The officials sought to be extradited are, the former Chief Executive Officer of the pharmaceutical giant, Mr. William Steeve and the Director of Medical Research, Mr. Scott Hopkins.
Others are the two medical doctors who conducted the drug test, Michael Dune and Deborah Williams.
�At this point, Kano is desirous and ready to begin prosecution of its case against the accused persons, however, these accused persons are outside Nigeria and as such cannot be easily apprehended,� Umar said in the letter.
It will be recalled that the state government had refused the out of court settlement move made by Pfizer.