HI

ERARCHY ANDJURI
SDI
CTI
ONOFCOURTSBYFELI
XCHI
BUI
KE

Def
ini
ti
onofj
uri
sdi
cti
on

Thej uri
sdict
ionofacour tisdefinedast hedi gnit
ywhichthecourthast odojusti
ceinacause
orcompl aintbroughtbef oreit.I
tisthelimi t
si mposedupont hepowerofav ali
dlyconsti
tuted
courttohearanddet erminei ssueswi t
hr eferencetothesubjectmatterandthereli
efsought
andt hisi
ssueofj uri
sdictioncanber ai
sedatany ti
me,evenforthefir
sttimeonappeal before
theappel l
atecourt.
Thi sprincipl
ewasest abli
shedbyt heSupremeCour tinthecaseof
Madukol uV.Nkemdi l
im, wher etheCour tlaiddownt heingr
edient
(s)thatdeter
mines
j
urisdicti
onast hefollowing:

*Thecour tort
ri
bunal
mustbepr
oper
lyconst
it
utedwi
thr
espectt
othenumberand
qual
i
ficat
ionofit
smembers.

*
Thesubj
ectmat
teroft
heact
ionmustbewi
thi
nit
sjur
isdi
cti
on.

*
Theact
ioni
sini
ti
atedbyduepr
ocessofl
aw.

*
Anycondi
ti
onpr
ecedentt
otheexer
ciseofi
tsj
uri
sdi
cti
onhasbeenf
ulf
il
led.

1.
THESUPREMECOURTOFNI
GERI
A

TheSupr
emeCour
tof

Ni
ger
iawhi
chi
stheapexcour
tinNi
ger
iawasest
abl
i
shedi
n1963f
oll
owi
ng

t
hepr
ocl
amat
ionoft
heFeder
alRepubl
i
cofNi
ger
iaandt
het
hen1960

Const
it
uti
onwhi
chcamei
ntooper
ati
ononOct
ober1,
1963,
fol
l
owi
ngt
he

abol
i
tionofSect
ion120whi
chabr
ogat
edt
heappel
l
atej
uri
sdi
cti
onoft
he

j
udi
cial
commi
tt
eeoft
hePr
ivyCounci
lwhi
chwasNi
ger
ia’
sapexcour
t.

TheCour
tisnowpr
ovi
ded

f
ori
nSect
ion230oft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)andbyt
hispr
ovi
sion,

t
hecour
tconsi
stsoft
heChi
efJust
iceofNi
ger
iaandnotmor
ethan

21(
Twent
yOne)j
udgesatal
lti
mes.Thecour
t’
sdeci
siononanymat
teri
sfi
nal

andbi
ndi
ngonal
lot
hercour
tsi
nNi
ger
iawi
thoutanyf
orm ofappeal
toany

ot
herbodyorper
son.Thi
sofcour
sei
swi
thoutpr
ejudi
cet
othepower
soft
he
Pr
esi
dentort
heGov
ernorofaSt
atewi
thr
espectt
opr
erogat
iveofmer
cyf
or

anyper
sonconv
ict
edofanof
fenceunderanyl
awi
nNi
ger
ia.Li
kewi
se,
the

deci
sionoft
heSupr
emeCour
tmaybenul
l
ifi
edbyl
egi
slat
ionandmor
e

i
mpor
tant
ly,
theSupr
emeCour
tcanov
err
ulei
tsel
f.

TheSupr
emeCour
twhi
chi
s

pr
esent
lysi
tuat
edi
nAbuj
a,Ni
ger
iahasor
igi
nal
jur
isdi
cti
ont
otheexcl
usi
on

ofanyot
hercour
tincer
tai
ndi
sput
es.Thet
erm“
ori
ginal
jur
isdi
cti
on”means

i
tist
hecour
toff
ir
sti
nst
anceandbeent
heapexcour
tint
hecount
ry,
it

consequent
ial
l
ymeansnoappeal
canbehear
dinr
espectoft
hosemat
ter
sbef
ore

anot
hercour
tinNi
ger
ia.Thesemat
ter
sincl
udes:
anydi
sput
ebet
weent
he

Feder
ati
onandaSt
ateorbet
weenSt
atesi
fandi
nasf
arast
hatdi
sput
e

i
nvol
veanyquest
ion(
whet
herofl
aworf
act
)onwhi
cht
heexi
stenceorext
ent

ofal
egal
rightdepends.TheSupr
emeCour
tdoesnothav
eor
igi
nal
jur
isdi
cti
on

onanycr
imi
nal
mat
terandf
inal
l
y,i
thasj
uri
sdi
cti
ont
otheexcl
usi
onofany

ot
hercour
tinNi
ger
iat
ohearanddet
ermi
neanyappeal
from t
heCour
tofAppeal
.

2.
THECOURTOFAPPEAL

TheNi
ger
ianCour
tof

Appeal
ist
henextcour
tint
hehi
erar
chyofcour
tsi
nNi
ger
ia.Unl
i
ket
he

Supr
emeCour
twhi
chi
ssi
tuat
edonl
yinAbuj
a,t
heCour
tofAppeal
isdi
vi
ded

i
ntodi
ff
erentj
udi
cial
div
isi
onsandsi
tsi
ncer
tai
nst
atesi
nNi
ger
ia.I
tis

est
abl
i
shedbySect
ion237oft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)
,headedbyt
he

Pr
esi
dentoft
heCour
tofAppeal
andconsi
stsofnotl
esst
han49(
for
ty-
nine)

j
udgesatal
lti
mes.Thecour
thasor
igi
nal
jur
isdi
cti
ont
otheexcl
usi
onof

al
lot
hercour
tsi
nNi
ger
iat
ohearanddet
ermi
neanyquest
ionast
owhet
her–
anyper
sonhasbeenv
ali
dlyel
ect
edt
otheof
fi
ceoft
hePr
esi
dentor

Vi
ce-
Presi
dent
,Gov
ernororDeput
yGov
ernori
nNi
ger
ia;
appeal
sfr
om t
he

Feder
alHi
ghCour
t,t
heHi
ghCour
toft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
a,

Hi
ghCour
tofaSt
ate,
Shar
iaCour
tofAppeal
oft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,

Abuj
a,Shar
iaCour
tofAppeal
ofaSt
ate,
Cust
omar
yCour
tofAppeal
ofaSt
ate,

Cour
tMar
ti
alandanyot
herTr
ibunal
.

Justl
i
ket
hef
inal
i
tyof

deci
sionsi
nSupr
emeCour
t,t
heCour
tofAppeal
alsoenj
oyst
hef
inal
i
tyof

deci
sionsonappeal
sly
ingt
oitf
rom t
hedeci
sionsoft
heNat
ional
andSt
ate

HousesofAssembl
yel
ect
ionpet
it
ionsandal
soappeal
ari
singf
rom anyci
vi
l

j
uri
sdi
cti
onoft
heNat
ional
Indust
ri
alCour
t

3.
THEFEDERALHI
GHCOURT

Li
ket
heCour
tofAppeal
,

t
heFeder
alHi
ghCour
tisdi
vi
dedi
ntodi
ff
erentj
udi
cial
div
isi
onsf
or

admi
nist
rat
iveconv
eni
enceandsi
tsi
nmor
ethan15(
fi
ft
een)st
atesi
nNi
ger
ia.

Sect
ion249oft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)pr
ovi
desf
ort
he

est
abl
i
shmentoft
heFeder
alHi
ghCour
t.TheFeder
alHi
ghCour
tisheadedbya

Chi
efJudgeandconsi
stsofsuchnumberofJudgesasmaybepr
escr
ibedbyan

Actoft
heNat
ional
Assembl
ybuti
sdul
yconst
it
utedi
fitconsi
stsofatl
east

oneJudgeoft
hecour
t.TheCour
thasexcl
usi
vej
uri
sdi
cti
oni
nci
vi
lcasesand

mat
ter
sassetoutunderSect
ion251(
1)oft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)
.

I
tisi
mpor
tantt
onot
e

t
hatt
heFeder
alHi
ghCour
tal
sohasappel
l
atej
uri
sdi
cti
onandal
lthepower
s

oft
heHi
ghCour
tofaSt
ate.Thecour
tshar
esconcur
rentj
uri
sdi
cti
onwi
tht
he
St
ateHi
ghCour
tinmat
ter
srel
ati
ngt
obanker
-cust
omerr
elat
ionshi
p,

i
nter
pret
ati
onorappl
i
cat
ionoft
heconst
it
uti
onandf
undament
alhumanr
ight
s

enf
orcementcases.

4.
NATI
ONALI
NDUSTRI
ALCOURT

TheNat
ional
Indust
ri
al

Cour
tisest
abl
i
shedbySect
ion254Aoft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)
,

headedbyt
hePr
esi
dentoft
heNat
ional
Indust
ri
alCour
tandconsi
stofsuch

numberofJudgesasmaybepr
escr
ibedbyanActoft
heNat
ional
Assembl
y.Li
ke

t
heFeder
alHi
ghCour
t,t
heNat
ional
Indust
ri
alCour
tisal
sodi
vi
dedi
nto

di
ff
erentj
udi
cial
div
isi
onsf
oradmi
nist
rat
iveconv
eni
encewhi
chsi
tsi
nsome

St
atesi
nNi
ger
ia.Theexcl
usi
vej
uri
sdi
cti
onoft
heNat
ional
Indust
ri
al

Cour
tinci
vi
lcausesandmat
ter
sar
esetouti
nSect
ion254Coft
he1999

Const
it
uti
onandi
thasal
lthepower
soft
heHi
ghCour
tofaSt
ateandan

appel
l
atej
uri
sdi
cti
on.

5.
THEHI
GHCOURTOFTHEFEDERALCAPI
TAL

TERRI
TORY(
FCT)
/STATEHI
GHCOURT

Ther
eisaHi
ghCour
tof

t
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
awhi
chcat
ersf
ort
heFCTandHi
ghCour
tof

aSt
ate.Sect
ion255oft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)pr
ovi
desf
ort
he

est
abl
i
shmentofaHi
ghCour
toft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
awhi
l
e

Sect
ion270pr
ovi
desf
ort
heest
abl
i
shmentofaHi
ghCour
tforeachSt
ateof

t
heFeder
ati
on.TheHi
ghCour
toft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
yandt
heSt
ateHi
gh
Cour
tindi
vi
dual
l
yisheadedbyt
heChi
efJudgeandconsi
stofsuchnumberof

Judgesasmaybepr
escr
ibedbyanActofNat
ional
Assembl
y(i
nrespectoft
he

Hi
ghCour
toft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
a)ort
heSt
ateHouseof

Assembl
y(i
nrespectoft
heHi
ghCour
tofaSt
ate)
.AHi
ghCour
thast
hewi
dest

j
uri
sdi
cti
onundert
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)i
nci
vi
landcr
imi
nal

mat
ter
sandhasappel
l
atej
uri
sdi
cti
onov
erdeci
sionsofMagi
str
ateCour
ts,

Cust
omar
yCour
ts,
AreaCour
tset
c.

6.
SHARI
ACOURTOFAPPEAL

Ther
eisaShar
iaCour
tof

Appeal
fort
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
awhi
chcat
ersf
ort
heFCTand

St
ateShar
iaCour
tofAppeal
.Sect
ion260oft
he1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)

pr
ovi
desf
oramandat
oryest
abl
i
shmentofaShar
iaCour
tofAppeal
oft
he

Feder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
awhi
l
eSect
ion275pr
ovi
desf
oranopt
ional

est
abl
i
shmentofaShar
iaCour
tofAppeal
foranySt
atet
hatr
equi
resi
tin

Ni
ger
ia.Bot
hcour
tsar
eheadedbyaGr
andKadi
andconsi
stofsuchnumberof

Kadi
sasmaybepr
escr
ibedbyanActoft
heNat
ional
Assembl
yforShar
iaCour
t

ofAppeal
oft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
aandt
heHouseofAssembl
yof

aSt
atef
oraSt
ateShar
iaCour
tofAppeal
.Bot
hcour
tsexer
ciseappel
l
ateand

super
visor
yjur
isdi
cti
oni
nci
vi
lpr
oceedi
ngsi
nvol
vi
ngquest
ionsofI
slami
c

per
sonal
law.

7.
CUSTOMARYCOURTOFAPPEAL

Li
ket
heShar
iaCour
tof

Appeal
,ther
eisaCust
omar
yCour
tofAppeal
oft
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,
Abuj
aandaCour
tofAppeal
ofaSt
ate.TheCust
omar
yCour
tofAppeal
oft
he

Feder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
yisest
abl
i
shedbySect
ion265oft
he1999

Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)andcat
ersf
ort
heFCTwhi
l
eSect
ion280pr
ovi
desf
or

t
heopt
ional
est
abl
i
shmentofaCust
omar
yCour
tofAppeal
foranySt
atet
hat

r
equi
resi
tinNi
ger
ia.Bot
hcour
tsar
eheadedbyPr
esi
dentoft
heCust
omar
y

Cour
tofAppeal
andconsi
stsofsuchnumberofJudgesasmaybepr
escr
ibedby

t
heNat
ional
Assembl
yfort
heFeder
alCapi
tal
Ter
ri
tor
y,Abuj
aandt
heHouseof

Assembl
yforanySt
atet
hatr
equi
resi
t.Bot
hcour
tsexer
ciseappel
l
ateand

super
visor
yjur
isdi
cti
oni
nci
vi
lpr
oceedi
ngsi
nvol
vi
ngquest
ionsofcust
omar
y

l
aw.

8.
MAGI
STRATECOURTSANDDI
STRI
CTCOURTS

Al
thoughnotpr
ovi
dedf
or

i
nthe1999Const
it
uti
on(
AsAmended)
,iti
sest
abl
i
shedbyt
hel
awoft
he

HouseofAssembl
yofaSt
ate.Amagi
str
atecour
tisacour
tofsummar
yjudgment

asmat
ter
sar
edet
ermi
nedi
nthi
scour
twi
thoutpl
eadi
ngsorbr
ief
sfi
l
edby

t
hepar
ti
es.I
ntheSout
her
npar
tofNi
ger
ia,
theyar
eref
err
edt
oas

Magi
str
atecour
tsbutt
heyar
eref
err
edt
oasDi
str
ictcour
tsi
ntheNor
ther
npar
ts

ofNi
ger
iawhent
heysi
tint
hei
rci
vi
lj
uri
sdi
cti
on.Thej
uri
sdi
cti
onofa

magi
str
atecour
tsi
spr
ovi
dedf
orundert
hev
ari
ousmagi
str
atecour
trul
esof

eachst
ateest
abl
i
shi
ngt
hem.

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TTENBYFELI
XCHI
BUI
KE(
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