8. In the defendants’ statement of defence, they put in a general traverse denying every allegation of fact made by the plaintiff in their statement of claim except where such was expressly admitted by them and put plaintiff to strict proof of the allegations thereof. The defendants stated that they had not refused to settle their indebtedness to plaintiff but plaintiffs conduct had frustrated all efforts made by them to settle their indebtedness. Defendants continued that in line with first defendant’s business practice it was comunitted to settling its debts to the plaintiff, and paid 230 Million Naira to the plaintiff, prior to the institution of this suit. Defendants further stated that it entered into negotiations with plaintiff to pay the outstanding sum of 255 Million Naira by instalments, 9. Defendants stated that the agreement dated 9/4/08 on which plaintiff relies heavily was entered into under undue influence, duress and without the benefit of having their solicitors peruse and advise on same before execution. According to defendants, they had to enter into that agreement when plaintiff and its solicitor Mr. Emefo Etudo threatened to use the officers of the Nigerian Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to arrest the 2"’ defendant. Therefore, defendants contest the voluntariness of the said agreement and the issuance of a cheque in the sum of 255 Million Naira in favour of plaintiff as it was done to prevent the unlawful arrest and detention of second defendant. 10. Defendants pleaded emphatically that at no time did they by themselves or through anyone acting for, through or in trust for them offer to bribe plaintiff's solicitor to compromise the recovery of the 255 Million Naira they owed plaintiff. Instead, defendants contend that being desirous of an amicable“solution of the issue between the parties, they informed plaintiffs solicitor that the first defendant needed more time to settle the debt it owed the plaintiff because first defendant was expecting some funds from a housing contract it had undertaken, as well as other ventures it had embarked upon which were on the verge of yielding funds. Defendants continue that plaintiff's solicitor by some overt acts pressurised and extorted a total sum of 1.1 Million Naira from defendants in order to prevail upon plaintiff to ao le theis indebteda laintift