A seven billion dollar (5.2 billion euro) lawsuit pitting the Nigerian government against the world's biggest pharmaceutical company Pfizer opened Tuesday with the US giant demanding the court dismiss the charges. The government is seeking the damages following a drug trial which allegedly led to nearly 200 youngsters either dying or suffering deformities.
Nigeria has based its case on claims that Pfizer had no authorisation or parental consent to carry out the mid-1990s drug trial, while Pfizer insists it had full approval. Government lawyer Babatunde Irukera asked Tuesday to be allowed to introduce "additional facts" before the court, a move contested by Pfizer's legal team.