Nigeria: Tobacco Companies Sued

Source from:  nytimes.com By REUTERS November 8, 2007 11/09/2007

Nigeria sued three tobacco companies seeking 5.3 trillion naira ($44 billion) in damages for public health costs for treating smoking-related diseases. The suit was filed at a Federal High Court in the capital, Abuja, against British American Tobacco; Philip Morris International, a unit of Altria; and a Nigerian concern, the International Tobacco Company. The court set a hearing for Jan. 14. The companies could not immediately be reached for comment. The amount sought is larger than Nigeria's annual budget. Three Nigerian states have also sued tobacco companies for health costs. Enditem