The complex litigation over the controversial Trovan clinical trials in Nigeria is proceeding at a snail’s pace, but the federal government isn’t backing down from its promise to pursue criminal charges against several former and current Pfizer personnel. And topping the list is Bill Steere, the former ceo who still sits on the board who, any day now, may receive a summons to appear in Nigeria.

At a hearing yesterday, the federal government’s attorney, Obinna Ogbuagu, expressed frustration with the inability to serve a court summons on several individuals, but that progress was being made in overcoming procedural problems. “We are yet to effect service on the accused based in the US,” he told the court. “We urge the court for an adjournment to do this.” And so the court granted an adjournment until April 10, and Ogbuagu promised that summons would be served before then, according to ThisDay.

Besides Steere, Nigeria wants to former medical director Scott Hopkins to appear in court. Others include two doctors who conducted the Troval trials, Michael Dune and DeborahWilliams, according to ThisDay.

At issue are charges that Pfizer illegally conducted an unauthorized Trovan trial in 1996 on more than 100 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.