Here’s a hardball tactic for you. Even as out-of-court settlement talks are under way between Pfizer and the Nigerian state of Kano, which is suing the drugmaker for $2.75 billion, the government’s justice commissioner, Aliyu Umar, threatened to have Steere, a Pfizer director and former ceo, and nine other Pfizer employees arrested if they fail to appear on November 6 to face criminal charges.

At issue are charges that Pfizer illegally conducted an unauthorized Trovan trial on about 200 children at a government hospital during a triple epidemic of measles, cholera and meningitis in which 12,000 people died. The episode led to the death of 11 children and various deformities - including deafness, blindness, paralysis and brain damage - in 189 others. Pfizer denies doing anything illegal and insists government permission was granted.

But since Steere and the nine other Pfizer defendants didn’t appear in court today - they live in the US - the Kano high court ordered the state police to deliver a summons to Pfizer and its nine staff named in the suit, according to Agence France Presse. Pfizer’s lawyer, Anthony Idigbe, insists the defendants never received two separate previous summons served them by the court. And if they don’t show up next month, well, then Steere et al may be cuffed by Interpol.

“If they fail to appear in court we will have no option but to seek the help of Interpol in arresting them and bringing them to court,” Umar said at a press conference after the court sessions. “We have been involved in negotiations with Pfizer for a possible settlement .. out of court but that does not deter us from pursuing the case to its conclusion pending a conclusive out-of-court agreement.”

That’s one way to get Pfizer to the bargaining table. Imagine the mortified looks on the faces of some Pfizer directors and execs to see pictures of Steere being detained? Especially ceo Jeff Kindler, since he actively lobbied Steere for his blessing during the horse race to succeed Hank McKinnell.

Umar confirmed that a four-man Kano state delegation and Pfizer officials met in London on September 28 where they began talks to settle the case out of court, with the Kano officials insisting Pfizer pay the $2.75 billion compensation they’re demanding in court, AFP writes. He said negotiations in the out-of-court settlement would resume November 17.

Two other courts Wednesday adjourned parallel suits against Pfizer. Another Kano state high court adjourned the Kano state civil case against the company to December 5 to allow some of the lawyers involved to undertake other duties. And a court in Abuja hearing a federal government lawsuit against the drugs firm adjourned the hearing to October 22 to allow for the serving of court summonses on the Pfizer executive names. The federal government in July withdrew an earlier lawsuit against Pfizer, only to refile it, prompting the need for fresh summonses to be served.