Nigeria Sues 3 Tobacco Firms for $40M

Source from:  ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) November 7 11/08/2007

Nigeria Seeks Over $40 Billion From Tobacco Firms in Suit Over Underage Smoking Nigeria is seeking over $40 billion in a court case against three international tobacco companies, accusing them of promoting underage smoking, court papers showed on Wednesday. In a suit against British American Tobacco, Philip Morris and International Tobacco Limited, the Nigerian government also demanded a ruling forbidding the sale of tobacco near schools, facilities or places where people under 18 years may gather. Nigeria is demanding punitive and special damages as well as "anticipatory damages" for the expected burden of tobacco-related ailments on public health. A hearing was set for Nov. 19 before federal Judge Binta Murtala-Nyako. Officials of the tobacco companies in Nigeria were not immediately available for comment. Tobacco companies have in recent years stepped up their marketing campaigns in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. Nigeria is the continent's most populous country with 140 million people. Enditem