LEGALSYSTEM I

A.I
NTERNALCONFLI
CTOFLAW

Engl
i
shl
awandcust
omar
ylaw

Mat
ter
sbet
weennat
ivesandnat
ives.

Mat
ter
sbet
weennat
ivesandnon-
nat
ives

LexSi
tus.

B.JUDI
CIALI
NSTI
TUTI
ONS

Ther
oleoft
hej
udi
ciar
y

Thehi
stor
yanddev
elopmentoft
hecour
ts

C.TYPESANDJURI
SDI
CTI
ONSOFCOURTS

Cust
omar
yandAr
eacour
ts

Magi
str
ateandDi
str
ictCour
ts

Cour
tsofr
ecor
d

Speci
alCour
ts

Shar
iaCour
tofAppeal

Cust
omar
yCour
tofAppeal

Tr
ibunal
s(excl
udi
ngCommi
ssi
onsofI
nqui
ry)

D.JUDI
CIALPERSONNEL–APPOI
NTMENTANDTENURE.

E.LEGALPROFESSI
ONANDLEGALEDUCATI
ONI
NNI
GERI
A.
 CONFLI
CTOFLAW

Confl
ictoflawi ssai
dt obeasetofr ul
esofpr
ocedurall
awswhichdeter
mi nesthelegalsyst
em
andthelawofj uri
sdicti
onapplyingtoagi
venlegal
disput
e.Al
soiti
sregardedasat er
m usedin
theconsiderat
ionoft he“Chall
engeofhav
ingsever
allawsappl
yi
nginagivenl egal
issue,t
hat
aff
ecttwodi ff
erentnations’
state.

Thisisother
wiseknownaspr i
vat
einternati
onallaw.Theref
ore,
confl
ictoflawsnarr
owlyunder
theNigeri
aLegalSystem i
ster
med“ I
nternalConfli
ctoflaw.
”Havingknownt hatNi
geri
ahas
vari
oussourcesoflawsunderit
slegalsystem,thereareboundtobeconf l
i
ctsbetweenthese
vari
ouslaws.

Thefoll
owingar
ethepr
edicat
ionsofconf
li
ctoflaw,t
hati
s,t
heint
ernal
conf
li
ctofl
aw.
Predi
cati
onscanbebet
terputascausesofint
ernal
confl
i
ctofl
aw.

Pr
edi
cat
ionsofI
nter
nal
Conf
li
ctofLaw:

Thepl
ural
i
tyofl
awsgui
dingt
hegener
alaspectofourl
i
ving.

Mul
tiet
hni
c,Mul
tiLi
ngual
orMul
tiCul
tur
alnat
ureofNi
ger
ia.

Par
ti
eshav
inganopt
ionoft
hei
rtr
ansact
ionbei
ngr
egul
atedbydi
ff
erentl
aws.

Anon-
Niger
ianhav
ingat
ransact
ionwi
thaNi
ger
iawi
thoutst
ati
ngt
hel
awt
hatwi
l
lbeappl
i
cabl
e.

I
nconsi
stencyofot
herl
awswi
tht
hepr
ovi
sionoft
heNi
ger
ianconst
it
uti
on.

THELAW BETWEENPEOPLEOFNI
GERI
ADESCENT/BETWEENNI
GERI
ANS

Thegener
alr
ulewithr
egardstodisputebetweenpersonswhoar eNiger
iani
sthatcust
omary
l
awshouldappl
y,t
hatis,
thelawoft heland.Thevari
oushighcourtl
awsenjoi
nsthecourtt
o
obser
veandenfor
cetheobserversofcustomarylaws.Secti
on26ofLagosStateHighCourt
LawCapH3,LawsofLagosSt ate2003pr ovi
des:
1.Thehighcourtshal
l observ
eandenforcetheobser
ver
sofcustomaryl
awswhi chisappl
icabl
e
andisnotrepugnanttonaturalj
ust
ice,
equit
yandgoodconsciencenori
ncompatibl
eeit
her
di
rectl
yorbyimplicat
ionwi t
hanylawfortheti
mebeinginf
orceandnothingi
nthislawshall
depri
veanypersonoft hebenefi
tofcustomaryl
aw.

(
1)2Goahead:

Cust
omar yl
awshal
lbedeem appl
i
cabl
eincausesandmat
ter
swher
epar
ti
est
her
etoar
e
nat
ives….

(
Ami norbyi
nfantr
eli
efacti
ssomeoneunder21y
ear
sol
d;ani
nfanthasnocapaci
tyt
oent
er
i
ntocontr
act
).

Thereforeinresolv i
ngconf l
ictoflawswhenpar tiesarenati
ves(Niger
ians),
thegener alrul
ei s
thati
fther eisanat ivelawandcust om appli
cablet othematteri
ncontroversyandi fsuchl aw
andcust om isnotr epugnantt onatur
aljust
ice,equityandgoodconscienceori ncompat i
ble
withanyl ocalordinanceandi fitshal
lnotappeart hatitwasint
endedbyt hepar t
iesthatthe
obli
gationundert het ransacti
onshouldber egulatedbyEngli
shlaw.Themat t
erincont r
ov ersy
shallbedet er
mi nedi naccordancewithsuchnat ivelawandcustom.Thi sposit
ionhasbeen
rei
nforcedi nthefollowingcases:

1Lewi
sVBankol
e(1908)NLR81

Agi
bigbi
V.Agi
bigbi
(1992)2NLRpt
221

AghenghenV.Waghor
eghor(
1974)ALLNRpt
74

EXEMPTI
ONSTOCUSTOMARYLAW APPLYTONI
GERI
ANSORNATI
VES

Asagainstt
hegeneral
rul
ethattr
ansact
ionordi
sput
ebetweenNigeri
ansshoul
dbegov
ernedby
cust
omar yl
aw,ther
eareatl
easttwosit
uati
onsi
nwhichcourtmayrefuset
heappl
i
cabi
li
tyof
thecustomar
ylawandtheseare:
Whent
hepar
ti
esei
therexpr
essl
yori
mpl
i
edl
yagr
eet
hatcust
omar
ylawshoul
dnotappl
yor

Wher
ethet
ransact
ioni
sunknownt
ocust
omar
ylaw.

Not
e:I
fthecont
ractisbet
weenaNigeri
an&For ei
gner
,Engl
i
shlawwi
l
lbeappl
i
ed.Howev
eri
f
t
hefor
eignerwi
l
linduceEngl
i
shlawforinj
ust
ice,i
tmaynotappl
y.

Sect
ion26(
3)ofHi
ghCour
toft
heLagosst
atut
epr
ovi
des;

“Nopartyshallbeentit
ledt ocl
aimt hebenefitofanycustomarylawifi
tappearsf r
om either
expr
esscont ractorfr
om t henatureofthet r
ansacti
on,outofwhichanysuitorquestionmay
havearisenthatsuchpartyagr eedthathisobli
gati
oninconnectionwit
hsucht ransacti
onshall
beexclusivel
yregulat
edot herwisethanbycust omaryl
awort hatsuchtransact
ionare
tr
ansactionunknownt ocust omarylaw.”*(notewhenaquest i
onbothersonexempt ion,use
sect
ion26( 3)ofLagosHi ghCour t
).

Asbet
weenanati
veandnon-
nati
ve,anydi
sputet
hatmayar i
sei
ntheli
ghtoft
ransact
ion
bet
weent
hem,shal
lasamatterofgener
alr
uleberegul
atedbyEngl
i
shlaw.

I
nthecaseofSal
vageV.Macmoy(
1909)REN504.

Thedeceasedhusbandofthedef
endantwasanon-
Niger
ia,
heconduct
edamar
ri
ageunder
nat
iveandcust
om withthedef
endant
.

Thecourthel
dthatthedeceasedhusbandbei
ngaSi er
raLeoneanlackscapaci
tyt
ocontr
acta
marri
ageinNiger
iaundernati
velawandcustom andther
efor
et hemarri
agewasconsequent
ly
voi
d.

Theonl
yexemptiontothisi
nwhichEngl
ishlawwoul
dnotapplybutr
athercust
omar yl
aws,i
s
wher
esubstant
iali
njust
icewoul
dresul
t,i
fther
eisst
ri
ctadher
encetoanyotherrul
esoflaw.

Sect
ion26(
2)oft
heHi
ghCour
tofLagosSt
ateear
li
eronr
efer
redt
opr
ovi
dest
hat
:
“Customaryl
awsshal
lbedeemedappl icabl
eincausesandmat t
ersbet
weennati
veswher et
he
parti
esther
etoar
enati
vesandalsoincausesandmat t
ersbet
weennati
vesandnon-nat
ives
whereitmayappear
stothecourtthatsubstant
ial
inj
usti
cewouldbedonetoei
therpart
ybya
str
ictadher
encet
oanyruleofl
awwhi chmayot herwisebeappli
cabl
e”

Therati
onalebehi
ndt hisposi
ti
onistoprotectnat
iveswhowouldent
erint
otransacti
onsthat
areponderousandtransacti
onsthatar
ef ai
ledini
tstechni
cal
for
m whichthenon-nat
ivei
s
at
temptingtotakeadv ant
ageof.

THECHOI
CEOFAPPLI
CABLECUSTOMARYLAW:

Asear l
i
ernot ed,
mat t
ersbet
weennativesshallberegul
atedbycust
omarylawandifi
tappears
thatsubstanti
ali
njust
icewouldari
seifanyotherlawisusedformatt
ersbetweennat
iveand
non-nati
ves,customarylawi
st obeused.

Howev er,thecourtisfacedusuall
ywi t
ht heprobl
em of;“whi
chcust omarylaw”istobeappli
ed.
Thepoint ertot
hispr obl
em ist
hemul ti-
cultur
al,
multil
ingualandmul t
iethni
cnatureofNiger
ia.
Forinstanceintheabsenceofanexpr essagreementbet weenaYor ubamanandanUhr obo
man, i
tmaybedi f
ficultt
oknowt hecust omarylawthatshouldbeappl i
cablefortr
ansact
ions
betweent hem butitshouldbestressedt hatt
henatureofthetransacti
onisadet er
minantof
thecustomar ylawt hatwil
lbeappli
ed.

Successi
ont
oLand/
Proper
ty:

Intheissueoftakingov
erthepropert
yofadeceaseduponhi
sdemi sei
nthecasethathenever
wroteawi l
l.Thelawappli
cabl
eforthesuccessi
onofbot
hmov abl
eandimmov abl
eproper
ti
es
arethepersonallawsofthedeceased.

“Personal
law”r
eferstothelawthatthedeceasedsubj
ect
edhimsel
ftodur
inghisl
if
eti
me.And
ofcoursetodet
erminethis,
evidencemustbeadducedtothesat
isf
acti
onofthecour
tthatt
he
personwasinhisli
fet
imeboundbyt hoselaws.
InthecaseofOlowuV.Ol owu( 1958)3NLRpt 13pg372, t
heSupremeCour tnot
edt hatunderthe
Nigeri
anlaw,apersonisf reetochangehi spersonall
awf r
om cust
omar ytoEngli
shl aworv i
ce
versaandalsofrom onecul t
uralgroupt oanotherandsofort
h.Wit
hthis,whatmat tersist
he
personall
awoft hedeceasedatt hetimeofhisdeath.Meanwhil
ewheret hepersonal l
awofthe
deceasedcan’tbeascertainedordet ermined,t
henthelawofwherethelandissituatedwil
lbe
appli
ed,asfarastheissuedeal swi t
hl andsuccessi
on.

I
nt hecaseofEkem v
.Nerba(1947)12WACA258, thedeceasedandowneroftheproper
tyi
n
questi
onwasaNi ger
ianbutnoevidencewasadducedtoshowwhatpar tofNi
geri
ahebelonged
to.Thecour
tsettl
edfort
helawofwher ethel
andwassituated(Lexsi
tus)
.

Landdi
sput
eot
hert
hansuccessi
on

Thecustomar yl awapplicablet ol
andmat tersthatarenotcontendedonsuccessionisthelaw
ofwheret helandi ssit
uat ed.Thatis,issuesofsal eofl
and,mor t
gage(pledge),
tenancyand
otherr
elateddi sputewil
l ber esol
vedusi ngt helawofthecommuni tywherethelandissituat
ed.
Asani l
l
ust r
ation,ifaYorubamanandanI gbomanhav eadisputeoveralandinLagos,the
customarylawpr eval
entinLagoswoul dappl yandthepart
iescannotdecidethatthecustomary
l
awofei theroft hem shoul dapply,thought heycandecidethatEngli
shlawshoul dappl
y.

InUkejev.Ukeje(2001)27WRN142CAbothpartieswer
eIgbosandt
helandi
nquest
ionwasi
n
Lagos.Thecour tr
einst
atedt
heLexsi
tuspr
inci
pleanduphel
dtheYor
ubacust
omaryl
awof
Lagosasapplicable.

Ot
herci
vi
lcases

I
not herci
vi
lcasesapar
tfr
om successi
onandl
andmatter
s,t
hecustomar
ylawappl
i
cabl
ei s
dependentontheci
rcumst
ancesofeachcaseandt
hisoft
entakesi
nsomuchpermutat
ions.

JUDI
CIALI
NSTI
TUTI
ONS
Judiciary:Iti
sdescr ibedinsi mpl
et er
msast hear m ofgovernmentsaddl ewitht he
responsi bil
it
yofi nter pret
ati
onoft helaw, adj udi
cat i
on,settl
ementofdi sputeandi mpr ovement
andr oleoft hefundament alhumanr i
ght sofci t
izen.Iti
simpor tanttonotethatthej udici
ary
deriv
esi tspower sf rom theconstitut
ion.Howev er,t
hereisadi sti
ncti
onbet weenj udi ci
al
functionsandj udi cial powers.Whilethef ormerencompassest herol
eoft hejudiciar yin
resolvingconf l
ictst hroughr esor
ttoest ablishedr ules,whichcanbeexer ci
sedbynon- j
udici
alor
quasi-judici
alinstitutions.Thelatt
erisr estrictedtor ecognizedjudici
ali
nstit
utions, andi t
s
functionsar ewi dert hant hegeneralfunctions.

I
nNigeri
ahowever
,thepowerofj
udi
ciar
yarecont
ainedi
nsect
ion6(
6)oft
he1999const
it
uti
on
oft
hefeder
alr
epubli
cofNiger
iawhi
chstat
esasfoll
ows:

Thej
udi
cial
powerv
est
edi
naccor
dancet
othef
oregoi
ngpr
ovi
sionoft
hissect
ionar
e:

(a)Shal
lext
end,
notwit
hstandi
nganythi
ngt
othecont
rar
yint
hisconst
it
uti
ont
oal
li
nher
ent
powerandsanct
ionsofthecourtofl
aw

(b)Shal
lext
endtoall
mattersbetweenpersons,
orbetweengov ernmentoraut
hori
tyandtoany
personi
nNiger
iaandtoallact
ionsandproceedi
ngsrelat
ingthereto,
fort
hedeter
minati
onof
anyacti
onastociv
ilr
ight
sandobl i
gati
onsofthatquesti
on.

(c)Shal
lnotexceptasother
wi seprovi
dedbyt hi
sconsti
tuti
on,ext
endtoanyissueorquest
ion
astowhetheranyactoromi ssionbyanyaut hor
it
yorpersonorast owhet
heranylaworany
j
udicial
deci
sionisinconfor
mi tywi
ththefundamentalobject
iveanddir
ect
ivepri
nci
pleofst
ate
poli
cysetoutinchapter2ofthisconsti
tut
ion.

(d)Shall
not,
asf r
om t
hedat
ewhenthi
ssectioncomesint
of or
ce,
extendtoanyact
ionor
proceedi
ngs,r
elat
ingt
oanyexi
sti
ngl
aw, mayonoraft
er15thofJanuary1966f
ordeter
mini
ng
anyissueorquesti
onast
othecompetencyofanyaut
hori
tyorper
sonstomakeanysuchlaw.

Notethatthelanguageoftheconst
it
uti
oni
sbothpermissi
veandrestr
icti
ve.Whil
eparagr
aph
A&Bst atesit
uationunderwhichj
udi
cial
powermaybeexerci
sed.Par
agraphC&Dst ate
si
tuat
ionwheresuchpowermaynotbeexer ci
sed.I
tisf
rom thi
ssecti
ont hatal
lj
udici
al
i
nst
it
uti
onsi
nthecount
ryder
ivedt
hei
rpowert
oact
.

Quasi-Judi
ciali
nsti
tuti
onssuchasadmi ni
str
ativ
etri
bunals,
onlypossesssuchpowersas
conferr
edont hem bylawwhichisusual
lyaswi deasjudi
cial
power.Whenwespeakofj udici
ary
,
wespeakofi nsti
tut
ionswithj
udici
alpowersbutnotnecessari
lyal
linst
it
uti
onthatexer
cise
j
udicialpowers.

I
t’
si mpor tanttonot ethedi sti
ncti
onbet weenj udici
al power sorf unctions&j uri
sdi cti
on.While
thef or
merr efer
st ojudici
al capacit
yofani nstituti
on,t helaterr eferstot hecapaci tyofan
i
nst i
tutiontoexer ciseitpoweri nrelat
iontoapar ti
cularsubj ectmat terorperson.Hence, whil
e
aninst i
tuti
onmayhav ejudi ci
alpower,itmaynothav et hejurisdicti
ont ohearapar t
icularcase.
Forinst ance,section232( 1)of1999const it
utionconf ersont heSupr emeCour t,original
j
urisdictionin* ”
anydi sputebet weenthef ederationandast ateorbet weenst atesandi fandin
sof arasi ndisputei nvolv
esanyquest i
onwhet herofl aworf actorwhi chtheexi stenceor
extendofl egal ri
ght sdepends” *.I
nsuchmat t
er s,thehi ghcour twehav enojur i
sdict i
on,or
thosei thast hesamej udicialpowerast heSupr emeCour tconf ersoni tbythesect ion6oft he
sameconst ituti
on.

Thejuri
sdi
cti
onoft hecour twill
usuall
ydi ct
atethesi
tuat
ionsunderwhichsuchacour tcan
l
awfull
yexerciseitsjudicial powersandt hismaydependonsev eraldi
ffer
entfactorssuchas
whetheracour thasoriginal orappell
atejurisdi
cti
oninaparti
cul
armat t
er,whetherornota
cour
thascivilorcriminal jurisdi
cti
onorper hapswhetheracourthasexclusi
vejurisdi
cti
onor
shar
esjuri
sdictionconcur rent l
ywithothercourtsinapart
icul
arissue.

Juri
sdi
cti
ont
her
efor
edif
fer
sfr
om ci
rcumstancet
oci
rcumst
anceanddi
ctat
ethecondi
ti
on
underwhi
chj
udi
cial
powermaybeexerci
sed.

Judici
ali
nst
it
uti
onsremai
nav er
yimport
antpartoft
hegovernmentmachiner
yastheyhel
pto
resolv
econf
li
ctandensur
erunni
ngoftheotherarmsofgovernmentbykeepi
ngt
hem incheck.

I
nsummar
y,t
her
oleandf
unct
ionsoft
hej
udi
ciar
yincl
udesbutar
enotl
i
mit
edt
o:

I
nter
pret
ingandappl
yi
ngt
hel
aw
Resol
vi
ngconf
li
ctsbet
weenper
sonsbot
hnat
ural
andj
udi
cial

Resol
vi
ngconfli
ctbetweengov
ernmenti
nst
it
uti
onsandci
ti
zensandbet
weengov
ernment
i
nsti
tut
ionsandorgans

Ensur
ingt
heconst
it
uti
onal
i
tyandl
egal
i
tyofgov
ernmentact
ivi
ty.

Pr
otect
ingt
her
ight
sofci
ti
zensagai
nstabuse.

Judiciaryusuallyconsistofjudgeswhoar et heoffi
cersofthecour t.Andthecourtusuall
y
establishedbyl awt oserveasal ocusf orjudici
alacti
vi
ti
es.Whilecour tsaretr
ibunalofasort,
notal ltr
ibunalsarecourts.Somet ribunalsexercisequasi-
judi
cialfuncti
onsbutdonotpossess
fullpower sofacour t.Tri
bunalshav etimef rame, t
heyareconstit
ut eforaspecif
icpurposese.g.
Electi
onPet i
ti
ontribunal
.Hav i
ngsai dthat, i
tisimport
anttonotet hatnotallcourt
shav ethe
samef uncti
onort hesamecapaci tyorjurisdict
ion.

HI
STORYOFTHENI
GERI
ANJUDI
CIALSYSTEM

I
tisi
mpor t
anttonotet
hehistor
icalbackgroundofanyi
nsti
tut
ion,
judi
ciaryincl
usi
ve.Assuch
wewouldattempttotr
acethehistor
icalbackgr
oundofNigeri
aJudici
ary.Thiswoul
dbe
di
scussedunderthr
eemajorsubheads:

Thepr
e-col
oni
alj
udi
cial
admi
nist
rat
ion

Thecol
oni
alj
udi
cial
admi
nist
rat
ion

Thepost
-col
oni
aladmi
nist
rat
ion

Pr
e–Col
oni
alJudi
cial
Admi
nist
rat
ion

Judi
cial
administ
rat
ioni
nNigeri
ahasevolvedandmetamorphosedovert
hedecadesdependi
ng
onthetypeofgover
nmentstr
uctur
einplaceandthesyst
em ofgover
nance.

Pri
ortot hecolonizati
onexerciseinmanypar tofAfrica,t
radit
ionalsoci
etyhast hei
rownsy stem
ofadjudicati
onresponsiblefortheadmi nist
rati
onofj usti
ceint hosesociety.Never
theless,the
enteri
ngoft heEur opeancommer ci
alactorsinthesoci et
yledt othedevelopmentofj udici
al
system thatlai
dt hefoundat
ionf ort
hef utur
ef orcont emporaryadjudi
cationinAfri
cansoci eties.
Forinstance,inthe19thcenturybeforet heannexationofLagosi n1861,thediff
erentsocieties
thatnowform Ni
geriaandot herAfri
cancount
riesoperatedthei
rownpol i
ti
calsystem wit
hthei
r
ownmet hodofadmi ni
str
ationofjusti
ce.Ther
ewer etradit
ional
‘court
s’wheretradit
ional
rul
es
wereappli
edagainstpart
ies,ir
respecti
veofwhethertheywer ei
ndigenesorforeigner.

InIgbol andf orinst ance, thesoci etywaswi t

houtcent r
alleader ship.Leader shipwasdi stributed
amongmember soft hecommuni tywhoacti ncounci ltoexer ciseexecut ive,legislativ
eand
j
udicial power .Thesy stem ofj usticeadmi nistr
ationint hepr ecolonialHausapol i
cyi nthe
norther nNiger i
awast hecl osestt othemoder ncour tsystem t hatwehav et odayi ndi fferent
partoft hewor l
d.Ther ewasacour tsystem wher esubor dinatechi eforAl kalisheadedt hecour t
i
ndi fferentdistrictorzonesandt heEmi rhadappel l
ateandor iginaljuri
sdictioni nv eryser i
ous
cases.Theadmi nistrationofj usticei nthet radit
ional societywasbasedl argel yonunwr itten
customar yrulesi nterpr et
edbyi nst i
tuti
onsuchasost raci
zat i
onwasv erycommonaswel l as
corpor alpunishment .Insomei nstancei nfluenti
al i
ndiv i
dual wer eall
owedt omet eout
punishmentt ot hosewhoof fendedt hem andt hiswast hecasei nYor ubal and.Thej udici al
system ofmanyoft hissoci etyappl i
edtonat i
veandnon- nati
veev enwhent hel atterdoesnot
under standt hecont extoft her ules, withthei ncreasinggr owt hi ntheEur opeant radei nt he
region, Bri
ti
sht rader sbecamei nvolvedint hepol iti
esoft her egionandj udicialadmi ni
st ration.

Thetraditional system ofj udiciaryadmi nistrationposedapr oblem forf orei gnerspar t

icularly
Europeanf orei
gner swhower eunf ami l
iart othet radit
ionallawi nmanyoft heAf ricansoci ety.
Thisledtot heintroduct i
onofconsul cour tByt heBr it
ishgov ernmentwi thappoi nt edconsul to
att
endt odi sput ebet weeni ndigenesandf oreignt raderswhi l
et r
aditional cour tcont i
nuedt o
administercasesi nv olv
ingonl yindigenes.Anexampl ei st
heoi l r
iverspr ot ectoratewi t
hl ater
becamet heNi gerpor tprotectorate,forwhi chconsul swer eappoi ntedbyt heBr it
ish
governmentt oobser vetreatiesandhandl ethegov ernanceoft heBr i
tishsubj ectinthatar ea.In
theareat hatshoul dbeknownast hepr ot ectorateofsout hernNi ger i
acour tsofequi t
ywer e
i
ntroducedi nthemi d-19thcent urywi ththemai nfunctionofadmi nisteringt hecommer cial
rel
ati
onbet weenBr iti
shsubj ectandnon- Brit
ishsubj ect.Ther ewer edi ff
er entf r
om t heconsul
courtinthatt heywer elesst echnical,andr el
atedmor etotheadmi nistrationofcommer cial
rel
ati
onst hengov ernanceandj udicialissues.

Thi
swast
hebeginni
ngoft
heemergenceoflegalsy
stem i
nmanyoft
heBr
it
isht
err
it
ory
i
ncl
udi
ngwhatwouldev
ent
ual
lybecomeNigeria.

Col
oni
alAdmi
nist
rat
ionofJust
ice
Thisper i
odcanbecl assi fiedi ntotwowhi char ePr e-
amal gamat i
onandpost -amal gamat i
on
periods.Thepr e-amal gamat ionper iodcov erstheper iodbet ween1861and1914.Att hattime,
differentpar tofwhati sknownasNi ger i
anowwer eadmi nisteredbyt heBriti
shgov ernmentor
i
tssubj ect.Thepost -
amal gamat i
onper iodwoul dr efert otheper iodaf t
ertheamal gamat i
onof
thecol onyandpr ot ector ateoft heSout her nNi geriawi ththepr otect orateoft heNor thern
Niger iatof orm whatwer ecogni zeasNi ger ia.Afterthecessi onofLagost ot heBr i
tishcrownin
1861, thesupr emecour tor dinance1863est abli
sht hesupr emecour tinthet erri
toryofLagos
andt hiswassubsequent lyr eplacedbyt hecour tsofci v
ilandcr imi nal j
usti
cewhi chwast he
highestcour tint hel and.Fur t
her mor e,appeal sfrom t heWestAf ricanCour tofAppeal si
tuated
i
nSi erraLeonel ay sst raightt ot hejudi cial commi tt
eeoft hePr ivyCounci l
.In1874, t
heGol d
coastcol onywasest ablishedcompr isingLagosandt heGol dcoast .TheSupr emeCour t
ordinance1876pr ovidedf orasupr emecour tthecol onywhi chwoul dappl ycommonl aw,
doct rinesofequi tyandst atutesofgener al appli
cat i
oni nf orceont he24t hofJul y1874.The
threet i
ercourtsy stem hadhi erarchyconsi st i
ngoft hedi strictcommi ssi
oner s’court,the
divisional courtandt hef ullcour tandappeal srani nt hator der.

By1886, Lagossei zedt obepar toft heGol dcoastcol onyandt hecolonyandpr otectorat eof
Lagoshadi t sownsupr emecour twi thsimi l
arpr ovisi
onswi ththe1876or dinance.Dur ingt his
period, t
hei ndigenouscour tsystem f lour
ished.Al thoughi twasl imit
edt ocasesi nv olv
ing
i
ndigenessomeofwhom hadi mbi bedt heEngl i
shwayofl i
fe.Itshouldbenot edt hatthepr e-
amal gamat ionj udicialexper i
enceofNor t
her nandSout her nNi geriaissimilartothatdescr ibed
abov e.Howev er ,asignifi
cantdi fferencewast hatwhi l
et hepr oclamat i
onswer eintroducedt o
establishEngl ishcour tst oest abli
shl aws, nat i
velawswasadmi ni
steredbynat ivecour ts
establishedbysepar atepr oclamat ions.Thus, bothEnglishandnat iv
el awswer eadmi nistered
byEngl ishtr i
al courtsunderEngl ishl awsunl ikethesy stem i nLagoswher ethenat i
v esy stem
wasl eftsigni f
icantlyunt ouchedbyt heEngl ishsy stem.Howev er,aft
ert heamal gamat ionoft he
colonyandpr otectorateofLagoswhi chthecol onyofSout hernNi geriain1906, thenat ivecour t
system ext endedt oLagosbyt hev irtueoft henat ivecour tordinanceof1906.I tshoul dbenot ed
thatthenat ivecour t
shav ebot hci v
il andcrimi naljuri
sdiction.

Obil
adei nthetextbook, “
TheNiger
ianLegalSyst
em,”not
esthatt
heabsenceofnati
veov er
sight
andcont r
ol i
nthesout hernprot
ect
orateweakenedt
henativ
ecourtsy
stem whil
etheChiefsin
thenorthernprotectoratei
nvolv
edintheappoi
ntmentofmembersofthenati
vecourtaddedt o
theeff
icacyoft hesy stem.

Afterthe1914amalgamat
ion,
therewereprocl
amationsestabl
ishi
ngasupremecourt,
a
provinci
alcour
tandanati
vecourtsy
stem r
especti
vely.Thenati
vecour
tswereempower edt
o
exercisej
uri
sdi
cti
oninci
vi
landcrimi
nalcasesconcerningnati
ves,
butcer
taincl
assesofnat
ives
weresubj
ectstothejur
isdi
cti
onofthecour
tonlyi
ftheyorr
esi
dent
sconsent
edori
ftheyort
he
l
ieut
enantGovernor
sconsentedandthenati
veswere:

Gov
ernmentser
vant
s

Nati
ves(notor
dinar
il
ysubj
ectst
othej
uri
sdi
cti
onoft
hecour
tandwhodi
dnotl
i
veper
manent
ly
wherethecour
thadjuri
sdi
cti
on)
.

In1933, t
herewasf urt
herj udicialreformt oest abli
shaHi ghcour tandamagi st
ratecour tunder
thepr otectoratecourtordinance1933whi chr epealedtheprovisi
onal Cour tordinancewhi lethe
Supr emeCour tcontinuedt oexi stfort hecolony .Juri
sdict
ioninmat ter srelatingtoEngl i
shl aw
wasshar edbet weent hesecour tswhi chhador igi
nalandappel l
atejur i
sdict i
on.Appeal slay
from themagi str
atecour ttot hehi ghcour tandf r
om thenativecour tstot hemagi strat
ecour tor
thehi ghcour twhiletheappeal sfrom hi ghcour tandSupr emeCour tlayst ot heWestAf ri
can
Cour tofAppeal .Otherrelev antor dinanceswer ethenativecourtsor dinanceandt heWest
Af r
icancour tordinance,bot hof1933.Jur isdictionsti
llremainedmer gedbet weent henat i
ve
andEngl i
shsy stem sucht hati ncer tai
nmat terse. g.l
andmat tersundercust omar ylaw,the
Engl i
shcour tsdidnothav ejurisdiction.

By1943, auniversal cour tsy stem wasadopt edcount r

ywi deandt hisendt ot heest abl
ishment
ofmagi str
atecour tsi nall part
soft hecount r
yandasupr emecour tofNiger i
af orthewhol e
count r
y.Thenativecour tscont i
nuedt ohav eexcl usiv
eor i
gi naljuri
sdicti
oni nmat t
ersrelati
ngt o
mar r
iage,famil
yst atus, guar dianship,inheri
tanceandadmi ni
strati
onofest ate.Upont he
adopt i
onofaf ederal syst em ofgov ernmenti n1954, thecour tsystem alsoadopt edaf ederal
stance,andtheHi ghcour tswer eest abli
shedf orLagosandeachoft hethreer egionswhi le
therewasaFeder al supr emecour tandmagi stratecour tfordi f
ferentpartsoft hecount r
y.
Thesecour tsappliedandadmi nisteredEngl i
shl awswhi let henat i
v ecourtsint heNor t
handt he
customar ycourt
si nt heSout hernpar t
soft hecount ryappl iedandadmi nisteredcust omar ylaw.
Thel awsestabli
shi ngt henat i
vecour tswer eenact edbyt hedi f
ferentregions.I tshouldbenot ed
thatintheNorthernr egionwher etheI slamiclawwast her ecognizedcust omar ylaw,ashar ia
courtofAppeal wasest ablishedt ohearappeal sfrom Nat ivecour ts,andint heev entofconf li
ct
betweenShar i
acour tofAppeal andt heHi ghcour t
,acour tofr esoluti
onwasest abli
shedf or
resolvi
ngsuchconf li
ct .

Post–Col
oni
alJudi
cial
Admi
nist
rat
ion

Af
tert
heat
tai
nmentofi
ndependencei
n1960,
thepol
i
tical
cli
mat
einNi
ger
iacompl
etel
y
changedbutt hejudicialstructureremai nsignif
icantlythesamewi ththedif
ferentr egions
havingt heirHighcour ts,magist r
atecour t
sandcust omar y
/ nati
vecourts,
whi lether ewasa
federal supremecour tandt hejudicialcommi t
teeoft hepr i
v ycouncil
whichr emai nedt he
highestcour tofthel and.Themostsi gnifi
cantchangebr oughtaboutbyt he1960i ndependence
const i
tutionwast heabol i
tionofcr imi naljuri
sdict
ionundercust omarylawast heconst i
tut
ion
providedt hatnoonewoul dbeconv ictedofanof fencenotpr ov
idedbyanywr i
ttenl awwi ththe
except i
onofcont emptofcour t.Ther ewasnof urthersignifi
cantchangeint hej udicialsystem
until1963whenNi geriabecamear epubl i
cwi t
hcompl eteindependencef r
om ot herBriti
sh
gover nment .

Undert he1963const i
tut
ion, thesupr emecour tofNi geri
abecamet hehighestcour tofthel and.
I
n1963, therewasal soanaddi tionalregionremov edf rom thef ormerWest ernr egionknownas
theMi dwest er nr egi
on.Thenat ivecour tsintheNor thernregi onbecameknownasar eacour t
s.
Thejudi ci
al sy stem wassev erelyaf f
ectedbymi l
it
ar ycoupofJan1966andanot heroneinJul y
ofthesamey ear .Thefol
lowi ngy ear,
thecount rywasdi v
idedi nto12st at
esundert hestat es
(cr
eationandt ransiti
onalprov ision),Decree17of1967.Thi swast hebeginningofser i
esof
mili
tarycoupswhi chshortlivedr et
urntoci vi
lrul
ei n1979anddur i
ngt heperiodof1967t illdat
e
thecount ryhasbeenr estructur edsev eralt
ime.Pr esently,t
her earenow36st atesandFCT.The
Justi
ceSy stem r emai nsdecent rali
zedupt othecour tofAppeal whichhasdiff erentdivi
sionsin
dif
ferentst atesandt heSupr emeCour twhi chissituatedint heFCT.

Postsindependence,t
hedi f
ferentdevel
opmentint hejudi
ci al
sy st
em havehadtodomost l
y
wit
ht heappoint
mentofj udgesdur i
ngthemi l
i
taryregime, aswel l
astheroleoft
ribunal
sand
commi ssi
onofenquiry.Duringthemi l
it
ary
,theroleofjudiciar
ywhi chi
sclearl
ystatedinthe
constit
uti
onisli
mitedconsiderablyastheconsti
tutionisusuallysuspended.

Theadmi ni
str
ationofjusticei
nNiger
iahassinceitsearlyincepti
onsoughttomakea
dist
inct
ionbetweencust omaryandnon-cust
omaryj ur
isdicti
onandt heextentofthatdist
inct
ion
hasbeenmodi fiedovertimebutthegreat
estchangehasoccur redi
nt hearrangementofnon-
customarysystem whichhasbecomemor esophisti
catedov ert
imeandwhosecov er
agehas
widenedwhilethatofcustomarysystem woul
dbesai dt ohav ebecomemor eli
mited.

Iti
sevidentthatt
herehavebeenseriesofdevel
opmenti
nt hepost–colonialjudi
cial
administ
rati
on,whichar
e;theestabl
i
shmentofNat i
onal
Industr
ialCourt
s,theCustomar yCour
t
ofAppeal andvar
iousamendment sormodifi
cati
onstotheexi
stingcourtprocedur
er ul
es,
rangi
ngf r
om theHighCourt,
totheCourtofAppealandult
imatelytot
heSupr emeCour t.
However
,therei
sli
ttl
ealongwayt
ogoi
nthedev
elopmentofpost
-col
oni
alj
udi
cial
admi
nist
rati
oninNigeri
a.

TYPESANDJURI
SDI
CTI
ONSOFCOURT

TheSupr
emeCour
t

Secti
on230oft heconsti
tut
ionestabl
ishesSupremeCour tastheapexcour tofthel
and.The
SupremeCourtconsist
sofChi efJusti
ceofthefederat
ionandot herj
udgednotexceeding21in
number.TheappointmentoftheCJNi sdonebyt hepresi
dentoft hef
ederationon
recommendati
onf r
om theNationalJudici
alCounci
l.Howev er
,thi
sappointmentissubj
ectto
rati
fi
cat
ionbytheSenate.ThecurrentCJNi sHon.Justi
ceWal t
erSamuel Onnoghen.

Thequali
fi
cat
iont
obeappoi
ntedaj
udgeoft
heSupremeCourtentai
l
sthatsuchaper
sonmust
havebeencal
ledt
otheNi
ger
ianBarf
oraper
iodnotlesst
han15year
s.

Al
so,
whent
her
eisv
acancyi
nof
fi
ceoft
heC.
J,t
hemostseni
orj
udgewi
l
lfi
l
ltheseat
.

Al
so,
someofthej
udgesoftheSupremeCour
tmustbewel
ll
ear
nedi
ncust
omar
ylawand
ot
her
smustbewel
lgroundedinI
slamicl
aw.

TheCour
tofAppeal

Thisi
sestabl
ishedi nsection237oft heconsti
tuti
onanditconsistsofPresidentoft
hecour tof
appealandotherjudgesnotl essthan49i nnumber.I
tisthecourtnexttoSupr emeCour t
.The
presi
dentoft
hecour tofappealisappointedbythepresi
dentofthefeder at
ionon
recommendationofNJCsubj ectyoconf i
rmati
onbySenat e.Thecurrentpresi
dentofthecourt
ofappeali
sHon.Just i
ceZainabBul kachuwa.Itmustbenot edt
hattheot herj
udgesofthecourt
ofappealar
eappoi ntedbyt hepresidentonrecommendat i
onoft heNJCbutnotsubj ectto
confi
rmati
onbyt heSenat e.

Bef
oreapersoncanquali
fyasajudgeoft
hecourtofappeal
,suchaper
sonmustbequal
i
fied
asalegal
pract
it
ionerf
ornotl
essthan12year
s.
Al
so,atl
east3ofthej
udgesmustbewel
lvasti
nknowl
edgeofcust
omar
ylawwhi
l
etheot
her3
mustbewellgr
oundedi
nIsl
amiclaw.

Whenther
eisv
acantseatoft
hePr
esi
dentoft
hecour
tofappeal
,themostseni
orj
udgewi
l
lfi
l
l
t
heseat.

TheFeder
alHi
ghCour
t

Sect
ion249oftheconsti
tut
ionestabl
i
shesFHC.Theappoi nt
mentoft
hechiefj
udgeisdoneby
thePresi
dentofFRNonrecommendat ionbyNJCsubjecttoconf
ir
mat
ionbytheSenate.Ther
e
i
sonlyoneFHCi nNiger
iabutdi
videdintoj
udi
cial
div
isions.

Beforeapersonwouldqual
i
fytobeC.JofFHC,suchaper
sonmusthav
ebeingcall
edtobarf
or
notlessthan10y
ears.Whenther
eisv
acancyintheof
fi
ceofC.
J,t
hemostseniorj
udgewil
lbe
appoint
ed.

TheHi
ghCour
tofFCTAbuj
a

Section255establi
shedtheH.CofFCTandconsistsofC.Jofthatst at
eandsuchnumberof
j
usticesasmaybepr escri
bedbyanActofNat
ionalAssembly.Appointmentismadebyt he
presidenti
nrecommendat ionofNJCandconf
irmati
onbySenat e.Thequalif
icati
onofbei
nga
j
udgeher eisthatthepersonmusthavebei
ngcall
edtobarfornotl essthan10y ear
s.When
thereisvacancyintheoffi
ceoftheCJ,t
hemostseniorj
udgewi l
lfil
ltheposit
ion.

TheShar
iaCour
tOfAppeal
ofFCT

Sect
ion260establi
shesSCAofFCT.Theheadoft hecourti
scall
edGr andKhadi andother
j
usti
cesarecal
ledKhadis.Appoint
mentoftheGrandKhadii
smadebyt hepresidentoftheFRN
onrecommendationofNJCconf ir
medbytheSenate.Thequal
i
ficati
onasaj udgeher eusthat
suchpersonmusthav e10year
spostcal
lexper
ienceandmusthav earecognizedqualif
icat
ion
i
nIslami clawf rom aninsti
tuti
onacceptabl
etoNJCORt hepersonmusthav eattendedand
obtainedar ecognizedqualifi
cati
oninIsl
amicl
awfrom ani nst
it
utionapprovedbytheNJCand
nothav eheldthequal if
icat
ionfornotl
essthan12years.Inaddit
iontothesecondcr i
ter
ia,
the
personmustal soeitherhaveaconsiderabl
eexper
ienceinthepracticeofIsl
amiclawora
di
stinguishedschol arofIsl
ami cl
aw.

Themostseni
orKhadi
takesov
erwhent
her
eisv
acantseatoft
heGr
andKhadi
.

TheCust
omar
yCour
tOfAppeal
ofFCT

Secti
on265est abli
shesthi
scourt
.Theheadi scal
ledPresi
dentwhil
eothersarecalledjudges.
Thepr esi
dentisappoint
edbythepresidentoftheFRNsubjecttorecommendat i
onbyNJCand
confi
rmationbySenate.Thequali
fi
cati
onher eisthatsuchapersonmusthav ebeingcal l
edto
barfornotlessthan10year
sandint heopinionofNJC, musthaveknowledgeincust omarylaw
andpr act
iceORintheopini
onoftheNJChasconsi der
abl
eknowledgeincustomar ylawand
pract
ice.

TheHi
ghCour
tOfASt
ate

Secti
on279oftheconsti
tut
ionmakespr
ov i
sionforHi
ghcour
tofast at
eandtheGovernorof
eachstat
eisr
esponsibl
eforappoi
nti
ngtheC.Jandotherj
udges.Theappoi
ntmentoft
heC. Jby
theGover
nori
sbasedonr ecommendati
onoft heNJCandconfi
rmati
onbythestateHouseof
Assembly.

Qualif
icati
onhereis10yearspostcal
landwhenther
eisvacancyofthesitoft
heC.J,themost
seniorjudgeisappoi
ntedfornotmorethan3monthsandaft
eritl
apses,hecannotconti
nue
exceptt heNJCdeemsi tso.

TheShar
iaCour
tOfAppeal
OfASt
ate

Her
e,t
heGr
andKhadi
andot
herKhadi
sar
eappoi
ntedbyt
heGov
ernorofast
ateon
r
ecommendat
ionbyNJCandsubj
ectt
oconf
ir
mat
ionbyt
hest
ateHouseofAssembl
y.

Qual
if
icat
ionher
eissameast
heShar
iaCour
tofAppeal
ofFCT.Vacancyi
sal
sosameasShar
ia
cour
tofAppealofFCT.

TheCust
omar
yCour
tOfAppeal
OfASt
ate

Thepresi
dentoft
hecust
omar
ycour
tofAppealofast
ateisappoi
ntedbyt
heGovernoroft
he
st
ateonrecommendati
onbyt
heNJCandsubjectt
oconfi
rmati
onbythest
ateHouseof
Assembly
.

Qual
i
ficat
ioni
ssameasCust
omar
ycour
tofAppeal
ofFCT.

TheNat
ional
Indust
ri
alCour
t

Secti
on254cof1999constituti
on,
andSect i
on20(3)oft
heTr adedi
sputeActestabl
i
shest
his
court
.Thecourtconsi
stsofthePresidentandothermembers.Theappoint
mentofthe
presi
denti
smadebyt hepresidentofFRNhav enconsul
tedtheFederal
Judici
alServ
ice
Commi ssi
on,
othermember sarealsoappointedbythePresi
dentaf
terconsul
tat
ionwit
hFJSC.

Thequali
fi
cati
onforbei
ngthepresidentofNICisthattheper
sonmusthavebeenaj
udgeofa
cour
tifunl
imit
edjuri
sdi
cti
onincivi
landcriminalmatter
sinsomepar
rofthecommonwealt
hor
acourthavi
ngjur
isdi
cti
oninappeal
sf rom t
hatcourt.

OR

Musthavebeenqual
i
fiedf
oradmissi
onasanadv
ocat
einNi
ger
iaandmusthav
ebeenso
qual
i
fiedf
oraperi
odofnotlesst
han10year
s.
Meanwhi
le,
appoint
mentofothermember softheNICentai
lst
hatsuchper
sonsmustbe
per
sonsofgoodstandi
ngwellacquai
ntedwit
hempl oymentmatt
ersandatl
eastoneoft
hef
our
j
udgesmusthaveknowledgeofEconomics,t
rade,
indust
ryandcommerce.

Whentherei
sv acancyintheoffi
ceofthepresi
dentofNIC,t
hepresidentaf
terconsult
ati
onfrom
FJSCcanappointanyqualif
iedpersontoactaspresi
dentandthetenurewil
lbestatedinthe
appoi
ntmentandwher ethetenureisnotst
ated,
thepresi
dentcanrevoketheappointmentat
anypoi
ntinti
me.

I
NFERI
ORCOURTS

Sect
ion6(
J&K)pr
ovi
desf
orof
fercour
ts.Someoft
heoneswehav
ear
e:

-
Magi
str
atecour
ts

-
Dist
ri
ctcour
ts

-
Areacour
ts

-
Cust
omar
ycour
ts

-
Juv
eni
l
ecour
t

-
Cor
oner
’scour
t

-
Rev
enuecour
t
-
Tri
bunal
s

-
Cour
tMar
ti
als

Magi
str
ateCour
ts

Thisiscommoni ntheSout her

nstatesofthecount
ryandnotunif
ormineachst
ate.Magist
rat
e
courtisl
owertoHighcour tinhi
erar
chyandsoappealsf r
om magist
rat
ecour
tgoestoHigh
courtofstat
e.Thehighestranki
ngmagi st
rat
eistheChiefmagi
str
ate.

Di
str
ictcour
ts

Thi
sist
hesameasmagi
str
atecour
tbutoper
atesi
ntheNor
thandi
tispur
elyf
orci
vi
lcases

Ar
eacour
ts

Thi
sisalsoequi
valentofmagi
strat
ecour
tbutiti
spur
elyf
orhear
ingcri
minal
cases.The
qual
i
ficat
ionasajudgeheredependsonthel
awsofeachstat
ebutusual
ly3year
sofpostcal
l

Tr
ibunal
s

I
tisanadhoccour
tforhear
ingspeci
alcases

Cour
tMar
ti
al

Theyar
emi
l
itar
ycour
tsf
ort
ryi
ngmi
l
itar
yof
fences
Rev
enuecour
ts

Thesecour
tshearr
evenuemat
ter
srel
ati
ngt
otaxandr
ates

Cust
omar
ycour
ts

Thesecour
tshav
ejur
isdi
cti
ononcust
omar
ylawsandpr
act
ices

Cor
oner
’scour
t

Acoroneri
ssomeonewhomakesinquesti
ntot
hecauseofdeat
h.I
thear
scasesonwhen
causeofdeat
hofsomeonei
snotknown.

Juv
eni
l
ecour
t

Thiscour
twasf i
rstestabl
i
shedinChil
drenandYoungPer sonsOrdinanceof1943.Thechi
ef
j
udgemayappoi ntanyonetositwit
hamagi str
atefortr
yingajuvenile.Undert
heChil
drenand
YongPersonsOr di
nance,achi
l
di sanypersonundertheageof14andy oungper
sonisanyone
whohasat t
ainedtheageof14andundert heageof18( i
nt heNorthlessthan18andsouthless
than17).

Tri
al ofj
uvenil
earenotmadepublic.Also,t
helawforbi
dstheuseofwordsli
ke“ youar
ehereby
sentencedorconv i
cted”t
ochi
ldr
en.Juv eni
lecour
tcannotimpr
isonachil
dory oungadul
t
exceptinrarecaseswhereiti
sseent hatot
hercorr
ecti
vemeasurewon’twork.Thecorr
ecti
ve
measur esusedare:

Thecour
tcandi
smi
sst
hechar
ge

Thej
uveni
l
ecanbedi
schar
gedonsel
f-
recogni
zance

Thej
uveni
l
ecanbedi
schar
gedandpl
acedundert
hesuper
visi
onofapr
obat
ionof
fi
cer
Thej
uveni
l
ecanbecommi
tt
edt
othecar
eofanappr
ovedi
nst
it
uti
onorr
elat
ive

Thecour
tcanor
dert
hej
uveni
l
eort
hepar
ent
stopayaf
ine

Thecour
tcanor
dert
hej
uveni
l
etobef
logged

Thej
uveni
l
e’spar
entcanbeor
der
edt
ogi
vesecur
it
yofgoodbehav
ior

I
mpr
isonment

TENUREOFOFFI
CE,
REMUNERATI
ONANDREMOVALOFJUDI
CIALOFFI
CERS

Section291(1&2)oftheconsti
tuti
onmakespr ovi
sionthatt
heCJN, JSC,PCAandJCAmay
reti
reupont heageof65andshal lsei
zetoholdoffi
ceupont heageof70.Not
ehowev ert
hat
otherjudi
cialoff
icer
sapartf
rom theonesaforementionedi
nS. CandC.Amayreti
reuponthe
ageof60shal l
seizetohol
dofficeattheageof65.

REMUNERATI
ON

Section84oftheconsti
tutionmakespr ovisi
onthattheremunerati
onofj
udici
alof
fi
cerswil
lbe
prescri
bedbyN. Awhichincludesbenefi
ts,arr
ears,
allowancesanditwi
ll
notexceededthe
amountpr escr
ibedbyRev enueMobili
zationAll
ocati
onandFi scal
Commi ssi
on.

Al
so,
ajudgeofnotl
esst
han15y
ear
sinser
vicei
sent
it
ledt
opensi
on,
all
owancesandbenef
it
s.

REMOVAL

Secti
on292provi
desthataj
udici
alof
fi
ceri
ntheli
kesofCJN,PCA,JCA,Gr
andKhadi
)canbe
removesbypresi
dentofFRNacti
ngonanaddresssubj
ectt
orati
fi
cati
onof2/
3rdmajor
it
yof
Senateasaresul
tof:
I
nfi
rmi
ty

Mi
sconduct

Cont
rav
ent
ionoft
hecodeofconduct

–TheC.Jofastat
e,Grandkhadi
ofSCAofastate,
presidentCust
omarycour
tofastateshal
l
ber
emovedbyGov er
norofastat
e,act
ingonanaddresswhichissubj
ectt
orati
fi
cat
ionof2/3r
d
maj
ori
tyofHouseofAssembly

–Inanyothercasesnotmenti
oned,t
heycanber
emovedbythePresidentort
heGov er
noras
t
hecasemaybe, act
ingont
herecommendati
onoft
heNJCthatthejudici
alof
fi
cershouldbeso
r
emov ed.

JUDI
CIALPERSONNELI
NNI
GERI
A

Ther
earesomebodi
est
hatar
epar
tofj
udi
ciar
y,t
heyar
erel
atedt
othecour
tbutt
heyar
enot
j
udges.

1)Nat
ional
Judi
cial
Counci
l

2)Thef
eder
alJudi
cial
Ser
viceCommi
ssi
on

3)TheSt
atej
udi
cial
Ser
viceCommi
ssi
on

4)TheJudi
cial
Ser
viceCommi
ssi
onofFCT

THENATI
ONALJUDI
CIALCOUNCI
L

I
twasest
abl
ishedbysect
ion153oft
heconst
it
uti
onal
ongsi
deot
herbodi
esbysect
ion154.
Ther
eist
heappoint
menttenur
eofof
fi
ce.
APPOI
NTMENT

ThemembersoftheNat
ional
Judici
alCounci
lar
eappoi
ntedbyt
hePr
esi
dentoft
hef
eder
al
republ
i
cofNi
geri
aontheconfi
rmati
onbytheSenat
e.

REMOVAL

i
tisdonebythePr
esidentbutmustbewiththesupportoft
wot hi
rdmajor
it
yoftheSenate.
Removaloft
heoff
icermightbebecauseofgrossmisconduct
,inf
ir
mit
y/termi
naldi
sease.

QUALI
FICATI
ONS

Forsomebodytobeamember ,hemustbequali
fiedtocont
esti
nanelect
ionasamemberof
houseofrepr
esent
ati
ve.Wi
thi
nt hepr
ecedi
ng10y ear
sofhisappoi
ntment
, hemustnothav
e
beenremovedasamemberofanybodyf ormisconduct.

MEMBERSHI
P

1)Chai
rmani
sthef
ir
stmemberwhoi
stheChi
efJust
iceofNi
ger
ia(
Ibr
ahi
m TankoMuhammad)

2)Thenextmostseni
orj
udgeofSupr
emeCour
twhoshal
lbet
hedeput
ychai
rman

3)ThePr
esi
dentoft
hecour
tofAppeal
(Just
iceZai
nabAdamuBul
kachuwa)

4)Fi
ver
eti
redjust
icessel
ect
edbyt
heChi
efJust
iceofNi
ger
iaei
therf
rom t
heSupr
emeCour
tor
Cour
tAppeal
5)TheChi
efJudgeoft
hef
eder
alhi
ghCour
t

6)f
iveChi
efJudgesofthestat
etobeappoi
ntedbytheChi
efJust
iceofNi
ger
iafrom amongt
he
Chi
efJudgesofthest
atehighcour
tort
heFCTi nr
otat
iont
oservefort
woyears.

7)OnegrandkhaditobeappointedbytheChiefJust
iceofNiger
iaf
rom amongt
heKhadi
from
theShar
iaCourtofAppeal
inrotati
ontoservefortwoyears.

8)OneofthePresi
dentofcustomaryCourtofAppeal
appoint
mentbyt
heChi
efJust
iceof
Nigeri
afr
om amongthepresidentofCust
omaryCourtofAppeal
toser
vei
nrot
ati
onfortwo
years.

9)Fiv
emember sofNBAwhohav ebequalif
iedtopracti
ceforaperi
odnotlessthan15years
andatleastoneofthem mustbeasenioradvocateofNiger
iaappoi
ntedbytheChiefJust
iceof
Niger
iaont her
ecommendationoftheNati
onalexecuti
vecommi t
teeoftheNigeri
anBar
Associat
iontoserv
ef ort
woyearssubj
ecttore-appoi
ntment

10)Twoper sonst
hatar
enotl
egal
practi
ti
oner
swhoi
ntheopi
nionofChi
efJust
iceofNi
ger
ia
areofunquesti
onabl
ychar
act
er/i
ntegr
it
y

11)Secret
aryt
othecounci
lwhoisalegalpracti
ti
onerappoi
ntedbyt
heNat
ional
judi
cial
Counci
l
ontherecommendati
onoftheFeder
alJudicial
Servi
cecommi ssi
on

FUNCTI
ONSOFTHENATONALJUDI
CIALCOUNCI
L

1)Recommendationoftherecommendeet ot
hePresi
dentf
oramongt hel
istsubmi
tt
edtothe
Council
.Theappoint
mentofChiefJusti
ceofSupr
emeCourt,j
ust
icesofSupremeCourt
,Judges
ofFederalhi
ghCourtandChiefJudgeofthef
eder
alHighCour
tetc.
2)Theyalsor
ecommendt her
emovalofChiefJust
iceofSupremeCourt
,Just
icesofSupreme
CourtorCour
tofAppeal
andalsoPresi
dentoftheCourtofAppeal
,Chi
efJudgeofFederalHi
gh
Courtet
c.

3)Theyexer
cisedi
sci
pli
nar
ycont
rol
ofj
udi
cial
off
icer
si.
e.Judgesi
nthet
empl
eofj
ust
ice.

4)Recommendt ot heGov er
norsfr
om amongt heli
stsubmit
tedtotheCouncil
bytheStat
e
j
udicial
Serv
icecommi ssioni.
e.JudgesoftheStateHighCourt
,Shari
aCourtofAppeal
ofa
Stat
eorCustomar yCourtofAppealifi
tappli
cable(i
fther
eisShariaCour
tofAppealor
CustomaryCourtofAppeal i
nsuchaSt at
e)

5)Theyr
ecommendt
otheGov
ernoroft
heSt
atef
ort
her
emov
alofJudgessupr
a

6)Col
l
ect
,Cont
rol
anddi
sbur
set
hemoneycol
l
ect
edi
nrespectofj
udi
ciar
y

7)Adv
icet
hePresidentofGovernor
sonanymat t
erper
tai
ningtothejudi
ciar
ySDmayber
efer
tot
heCounci
lbythePr esi
dentofGover
norofanySt
ateofFederati
on.

8)Appoi
nt,
dismi
ss,
andexer
cisedi
sci
pli
nar
ycont
rol
overmember
soft
heCounci
l
.

9)Theycont
rol
anddi
sbur
seMoneyf
ort
heCounci
l

10)Anyothermat
teronadmi
nist
rat
orofpol
i
ticsi
nadmi
nist
rat
ionofpol
i
cyasr
elat
ingt
othe
Judi
ciar
y.

THEFEDERALJUDI
CIALSERVI
CECOMMI
SSI
ON

I
twasalsoest
abli
shedbysecti
on153oftheconsti
tut
ional
ongsi
deotherbodi
esbysect
ion154
–160spell
outthedut
iesappoi
ntment
,obli
gat
ionsetc.oft
hebodi
es.Therei
stheappoi
ntment
t
enur
eofof
fi
ce.

APPOI
NTMENT

Themember soft
hefeder
alj
udi
cial
Servi
cecommissi
onar
eappoi
ntedbyt
hePr
esi
dentoft
he
feder
alr
epubli
cofNi
geri
aontheconfi
rmati
onbyt
heSenat
e.

REMOVAL

I
tisdonebythePr
esidentbutmustbewiththesupportoft
wot hi
rdmajor
it
yoftheSenate.
Removaloft
heoff
icermightbebecauseofgrossmisconduct
,inf
ir
mit
y/termi
naldi
sease.

QUALI
FICATI
ONS

Forsomebodytobeamember ,hemustbequali
fiedtocont
esti
nanelect
ionasamemberof
houseofrepr
esent
ati
ve.Wi
thi
nt hepr
ecedi
ng10y ear
sofhisappoi
ntment
, hemustnothav
e
beenremovedasamemberofanybodyf ormisconduct.

FUNCTI
ONSOFTHEFEDERALJUDI
CIALSERVI
CECOMMI
SSI
ON

1)Advicet
henati
onalJudi
cialCounci
linnominat
ingper
sonf
ort
heof
fi
ceofChi
efJust
iceof
Niger
ia,Pr
esi
dentoft
heCour tofAppeal,
etc.

2)RecommendtotheNati
onalJudici
alCouncil
fort
her emoval
ofaper
sonf
rom t
heof
fi
ce
Chi
efJust
iceofNi
geri
a,Pr
esidentoftheCourtofAppealet
c.

3)Appoint
,di
smiss,andexerci
sediscipl
i
narycontr
olov
erChi
efRegi
str
aranddeput
yChi ef
regi
str
arofbothSupremeCour t
,CourtofAppeal,
Feder
alHi
ghCourt
,andotherj
udi
cial
st af
fof
theNati
onalJudi
cialCounci
lofthefederat
ion.
4)Consul
tat
ionwi
tht
hePr
esi
dentoft
heappoi
ntmentoft
hePr
esi
dentoft
heNat
ional
Indust
ri
al
Court

MEMBERSHI
P

1)Chi
efJust
iceoft
heSupr
emeCour
tisachai
rmanoft
hef
eder
alJudi
cial
Ser
vicecommi
ssi
on

2)Pr
esi
dentoft
heCour
tofAppeal
isamemberoft
hef
eder
alj
udi
cial
Ser
vicecommi
ssi
on

3)At
tor
neyGener
alofFeder
ati
oni
sal
soamemberoff
eder
alj
udi
cial
Ser
vicecommi
ssi
on

4)Chi
efJudgeoff
eder
alhi
ghcour
tisamemberoft
hef
eder
alj
udi
cial
Ser
vicecommi
ssi
on

5)Twopersonsqual
i
fyasal
egal
pract
it
ioner
sfort
heper
iodofnotl
esst
han15y
ear
sar
eal
so
members

6)Twootherpersonswhoar
enotl
egal
pract
it
ioner
sbutf
rom t
heopi
nionoft
hePr
esi
dentar
e
ofgoodcharact
ers

THESTATEJUDI
CIALSERVI
CECOMMI
SSI
ON

Itwasest
abli
shedbysect
ion197oft
heconst
it
uti
onal
ongsi
deot
herbodi
es.Ther
eist
he
appoi
ntmenttenur
eofoff
ice.

APPOI
NTMENT
Themember
softheSt
atej
udi
cial
Servicecommissi
onareappoi
ntedbytheGover
noroft
he
Stat
eont
heconf
ir
mati
onbyaresolut
ionoftheHouseofAssemblyoft
heStat
e

REMOVAL

i
tisdonebytheGov
ernorbutmustbewi t
hthesuppor
toftwot
hirdmajori
tyoftheHouseof
Assembl
y.Removaloft
heoffi
cermightbebecauseofgr
ossmisconduct
,inf
ir
mi t
y/t
erminal
di
sease.

QUALI
FICATI
ONS

Forsomebodytobeamember,hemustbequal i
fi
edtocont
esti
nanelect
ionasamemberof
houseofAssembl
y.Wi
thi
nthepreceding10y ear
sofhisappoi
ntment
,hemustnothav
ebeen
removedasamemberofanybodyf ormisconduct.

MEMBERSHI
P

1)Chi
efJust
iceofaSt
ateasachai
rmanoft
hecommi
ssi
on

2)At
tor
neyGener
aloft
heSt
ateasamemberoft
hecommi
ssi
on

3)Gr
andKhadi
oft
heShar
iaCour
tofAppeal
ofaSt
atei
fanyatamemberoft
hecommi
ssi
on

4)Pr
esi
dentoft
hecust
omar
yCour
tofAppeal
ofast
ateI
fanyasamemberoft
hecommi
ssi
on

5)Twomember
swhoar
elegal
pract
it
ioner
s,whoar
esoqual
i
fiedf
oraper
iodnotl
esst
hant
en
year
s
6)Twomember swhoarenotl
egal
pract
it
ioner
sbutf
rom opi
nionoft
heGov
ernor
,theyar
eof
unquest
ionabl
ychar
act
ers.

THEJUDI
CIALSERVI
CECOMMI
SSI
ONOFTHEFEDERALCAPI
TALTERRI
TORY

Itwasestabl
i
shedbysect ion304(1)oftheconsti
tut
ion.Andin(2)i
tpr
ovidesthatt
heprovi
sion
ofsect
ion154( 1)and(3)
,155,156,157(
1)and(2),158(1)and159to161ofthisconst
it
uti
on
shal
lappl
ywi thnecessar
ymodi fi
cati
onstothejudi
cialSer
vicecommit
teeofthefeder
alcapi
tal
ter
ri
tor
y,Abuja.

Inthi
sforegoi
ngofthejudici
alServi
cecommi ssi
onofthef eder
alCapitalTerr
it
ory,t
he
appoint
mentandt hemember shipofthi
scommi ssi
onwillbesetupasort hewayNat ional
j
udicial
Councili
sbeingformedandoper ated.Thismeanst hatthePresidentwil
lappointthe
ChiefJusti
ceofthehighcourtofthefeder
al capi
talt
err
it
oryandsoonasi ti
sstipul
atedin
nati
onaljudi
ci
alcouncil
.

THEINDEPENDENTCORRUPTSPRACTI
CESANDOTHERRELATEDOFFENCESCOMMI
SSI
ON
(I
CPC)

TheI CPCi saNigeri

anagencyt hatwasi naugur atedon29Sept ember2000f ol
lowingthe
recommendat i
onofPr esidentOlusegunObasanj o.Themandat eistor ecei
veandi nvesti
gate
reportsofcorrupti
onandi nappropri
atecasespr osecut
et heoffender(s)
,toexamine, r
evi
ew
andenf orcethecorrecti
onofcor rupti
onpr onesy st
emsandpr ocedur esofpublicbodies,wi
tha
viewt oel
iminatingcorruptioni
npubl i
clife,andt oeducateandenl i
ghtenthepubl i
conand
againstcorrupti
onandr elatedoffenceswi t
hav iewtoenlist
ingandf osteri
ngpublicsupportfor
thefightagainstcorrupti
on.TheCor ruptPracticesandot herRelatedOf f
encesAct2000
governsthecommi tt
ee’sact i
vi
ti
es.

Establi
shment .(
1)Thereisherebyestabl
ishedaCommi ssiontobeknownast heIndependent
CorruptPracti
cesandOt herRelat
edOf f
encesCommi ssi
on( herei
nafterinthi
sActr eferredtoas
“t
hecommi ssion”
)Commi ssi
oncomposi t
ion,
tenureandr emov alf
rom Of f
ice.(2)The
commi ssionshallbeabodycor por
atewithperpetualsuccessionandacommonseal andmay
sueandbesuedi nitscorporat
ename. (
3)Thecommi ssi
onshal lconsistofachai r
manand
twelve(12)othermember s,twoofwhom shallcomef rom eachoft hesi xgeo-poli
ti
cal zones;
(a)
Aret
ir
edpol
iceoff
icernotbel
owt herankofcommi
ssi
onerofpol
i
ce;
(b)Al
egal
pract
it
ionerwi
th
atl
east10y
earspost-cal
lexper
ience;

(
c)Aret
iredjudgeofasuper
iorcour
tofrecor
d;(
d)Areti
redpubl
i
cservantnotbel
owtherankof
aDi
rect
or;(
e)Awoman; (
f)Ayouthnotbei
nglessthan21ormorethan30y ear
sofageatthe
t
imeofhisorherappoi
ntmentand

(
g)Achar
ter
edaccount
ant
.

(4)Thechair
manshallbeapersonwhohashel
dori
squal
i
fiedt
ohol
dof
fi
ceasaj
udgeofa
superi
orcourtofr
ecor
dinNigeri
a.

(
5)Remunerati
onformembersoftheCommissi
onshal
lbedet
ermi
nedbyt
heNat
ional
Rev
enue
Mobi
li
zat
ion,Al
locat
ionandFi
scal
commissi
on.

Sect
ion8(
2)deal
wit
hthedut
iesoff
unct
ionsoft
hecommi
ssi
on

–Tor
ecei
ve,
inv
est
igat
e,compl
aint
,andpr
osecut
eof
fender
s

–Tocombatcor
rupt
ion

–Tocombatgr
ati
fi
cat
ionandbr
iber
yofpubl
i
cof
fi
cer
s

–Theymaj
orl
ydeal
wit
hpubl
i
cof
fi
cer
s

–Sincethei
ncepti
onoft
hecommissi
on,peopl
ehav
ecri
tici
zei
tthati
thasnotdonemuchandit
hasit
sownexcusewhichar
elackoff
undsandthet
ardi
nessofthecour
tprocessandal
sobi
g
wigsint
hesociet
y.
THEECONOMI
CANDFI
NANCI
ALCRI
MECOMMI
SSI
ON

Thi
swasest
abl
i
shedbyEFCCactof2002

FUNCTI
ON

Sect i
on5oft heEFCCactpr ovi
desthat“i
tshal
li
nvest
igat
eallfi
nancial
crimesincl
uding:
Adv ancedfeesfraud(419)(seesect
ion419ofcri
minalcode),moneylaunderi
ng,counter
fei
ti
ng,
etc.( I CPConl ydealwit
hf i
nanci
alcri
meincivi
lser
vantsorpubli
cservant
swhi l
eEFCC
coversallsector
s.)

COMPOSI
TION

1)Chai
rman:
Ibr
ahi
m Magu(
2015–dat
e)

2)Aser
vingorr
eti
redmemberofanyl
awenf
orcementofSecur
it
yAgent

3)TheGov
ernoroft
heCent
ral
Bankorhi
srepr
esent
ati
ve

4)ARepr
esent
ati
veofeachoft
hef
oll
owi
ngmi
nist
ri
es

IFor
eignaf
fai
rs

I
IFi
nance

I
IIJust
ice
5)Chai
rmanofNDLA(
Nat
ional
DrugLawEnf
orcementAgency
)

6)Di
rect
orGener
alof
:

I
)Nat
ional
Int
ell
i
gentAgency(
NIA)

I
I)Di
rect
orf
orSt
ateSecur
it
y(DSS)

I
II
)Secur
it
yandExchangeCommi
ssi
on(
SEC)

7)Commi
ssi
onerf
orI
nsur
ance

8)PostMast
erGener
alofNi
ger
iaPost
alSer
vice

9)Ni
ger
iaCommuni
cat
ionCommi
ssi
onChai
rman

10)Cont
rol
l
erGener
alofNi
ger
iaCust
omsSer
vice

11)Cont
rol
l
erGener
alofNi
ger
iaI
mmi
grat
ionSer
vice

12)ARepr
esent
ati
veofNi
ger
iapol
i
ceFor
cenotbel
owt
her
ankofAssi
stanceI
nspect
orGener
al
ofPol
i
ce

13)FourEmi
nentNi
ger
ianwi
thexper
iencei
nFi
nance,
Banki
ngorAccount
ing

14)Di
rect
orGener
alwhoshal
lbet
heheadofAdmi
nist
rat
ion
LI
STOFPROMI
NENTNI
GERI
ANSTHATHAVEBEENTRI
EDBYEFCC

Diezani
AlisonMadueke:
Theformermini
sterofpet
rol
eum wasal
l
egedt
ohav eloot
edover
$20b,whichwaspartofthepr
oceedsf
rom Niger
ia’
smaini
ncomegener
ator
,crudeoil
.

Patri
ckAkpobolokemi:TheformerbossofNiger
ianMariti
meAdmi ni
strati
onandSaf et
yAgency
(NIMASA)alsomadehi smar kasoneofthemostr epor
tedformergovernmentoffi
cial
swho
stol
emoney .Akpobolokemirepor
tedl
yloot
edoverN12bf rom NI
MASA, usingvar
ious
companiestoperfecthist
radeorpract
icei
fyoulike.

SamboDasuki :Thenewst hatf

undsmeantf orthepurchaseofar msf ortheAr myt oprosecut
e
thewaragainstBokoHar am wasall
egedl
ymi sappropri
ated,washear trending,becauseofthe
numberofsol di
ersthatdi
edasar esul
tofpoormi l
it
aryequipment .Thef or
merNat i
onal
Securi
tyAdviser(NSA)wassaidtohavedivert
edandsuper v
isedthedi sbursementofov er
$2.1btovar
iousindivi
dualsandal
sosponsorGEJ’ ssecondt erm bid.

Oli
saMetuh:TheformerPeopl
esDemocrat
icPart
y(PDP)spokesmancouldnotfi
ndhisvoice
anymore,af
teri
twasreveal
edthatheal
l
egedl
ygotN400m from t
heDasukil
oot.Metuh,
accor
dingtorepor
tssaidt
hemoneywasgiventohim byex-
Presi
dentGoodl
uckJonathanas
paymentforajobhedid.

Musi l
i
uObani koro:Report
shaveitthatt
hef ormerministerofstat
ef ordefenceatepar
tof
Dasuki’sforbi
ddenf r
uit
.Obani
kororeport
edlygotN4. 7bwhi chheclaimedt ohaveshar
ed
amongstsomei ndi
vi
dualsnot
ably,
theGov ernorofEkit
istate,AyoFay oseandservi
ngSenat
or,
Iy
iolaOmi sore.Theformermini
sterhasalsor et
urnedoverN100m t otheEconomi cand
Financial
Cr i
mesCommi ssi
on(EFCC)aspar tofhispleadeal .

Alhaj
iAbdull
ahiDi
kko:Thi
sci
vilserv
antreport
edly‘di
kkoed’N40bf
rom t
hecoffersofthe
Niger
iaCustomsServi
ce(NCS).Newsofhi sarr
estbyt heEconomi
candFinancialCr
imes
Commi ssi
on(EFCC)wasanothershocker.TheformerNCSbosshowev err
eturnedN1btothe
FederalGover
nmentandisonbail.

7.AlexBadeh:Thef or
merChiefofDefenceStaf
f(CDS)boughtaN320m housef orhi
s28y ear
-
ol
dsonandanot herN260m forhisf
ir
stsoninthehi
ghbr owareaofWuseinAbuja.Thehouses
arejustpar
tofthemanypr opert
iesBadehusedtheov erN800m whi
chhesiphonedfrom t
he
mili
tarycof
fer
s,topurchase.Thefor
merCDShowev er‘f
orf
eit
ed’$1m t
otheFederal
Governmentinothernottoseem too“greedy
”.

Femi Fani-
Kayode:Theformermi ni
sterofav i
ati
onwasar rai
gnedi ncourtbytheEconomi cand
Fi
nancialCrimesCommi ssion(EFCC)al ongsi
deaf ormermi ni
sterofstateforfi
nance,Senat
or
Nenadi Usmanov eranall
egedN1. 5bfraud.Theanti-
graftagencylaterfi
ledafreshcharge
agai
nstFFKbor deringonanotherfraudamount ingtoN4.7b.Thef or
mermi ni
ster
,whowast he
spokesmanoft heGoodluckJonat hancampai gnorganisati
on,all
egedlycoll
ectedmoneyf r
om
Dasuki
forGEJ’
sre-
elect
ionbi
d.

PatienceJonathan:Nigeri
ansr eall
yagreedthat‘
thereisGodoh’whennewsemer gedthatt
he
formerf i
rstl
adyclai
medowner shipoffiveSkyeBankaccountswithbil
l
ionsofNair
ainthem.
Sheev enwenttocourttoordert heEFCCt oun-f
reezethebankaccounts,
addi
ngthatitwasa
viol
ationofherfundament alhumanr i
ghts.Seri
ously?

RaymondDokpesi:TheEconomi candFinanci
alCri
mesCommi ssi
on(EFCC)alsopickedupthe
ChairmanofAfr
icaIndependentTelevi
sion(AI
T)forpartaki
ngi
nDasuki
’sj
uicyloot
.Accordi
ng
toreport
s,N2.
1bwaspai dtoDokpesi bytheCentralBankofNi
ger
ia(CBN)ont heorder
softhe
for
merNat i
onalSecuri
tyAdviser(NSA).

SupremeCour tJudges:Someoft heseni

orjudi
cial
off
icer
swereaccusedoff
raudand
professionalmisconduct.Also,
sever
alsumsofmoneyi ndif
fer
entf
orei
gncur
renci
eswer
e
reportedlyrecover
edfrom thehomesoft hej
udges

HI
STORYOFTHELEGALPROFESSI
ON

Thehi
stor
yofl
egal
educat
ioni
sdi
vi
dedi
ntophases

1876-
1914

1914–1962

1962

TheS. Cordi
nanceof1876providedfortwocategoriesofpeoplewhocoul dpract
iceunderthe
peri
od1stoft hecat
egori
esarethelegall
yqualif
iedpract
it
ioner
s,thosealreadycall
edtobaras
barri
ster
sorthosewhoqual i
fi
edassolici
torsineit
herEnglandorScotland.Thesepeoplewere
automatical
l
yenroll
edatthesupremecour tofNigeri
aandwer etheref
oreallowedtopract
icein
thi
sper i
od.

The2ndgr oupofpeopl eall

owedt opracti
ceatthistimewer ereferredtoasl ocalat
tor
neysS.74
oftheSupr emeCour tordnance1876empower edt hechiefjust
iceofNi geri
at oadmit
tempor ar
il
yot herfi
tandpr operpersonstoappearandactasbar rister
s,soli
cit
orsandproctor
s.
Thesepeopl east hei
rnamei mpli
esarenotprofessionall
yqualif
iedper sonsbuttheywere
admittedbyt heCJNt opr acti
ceLaw.TheCJNhav emayr equir
et heireducati
onalqual
if
icat
ion,
abil
it
yt oreadandwr i
te,t
heirknowledgeoftheprincipl
eandpr acticeofLaw.Suchappoi ntment
i
sf or6mont hsbutrenewabl eatexpir
ati
onfor6mont hsatat i
me.
In1913pressurecamef rom thelegall
yquali
fi
edpersonnelt
ostopt heC.Jfrom f
urt
her
appointmentoflocalat
torney
, becausetheyweredr
aggingthepr of
essioninthemud.OSHO
DAVIEShadhi sappli
cationont heCJN’stabl
ewhichwasdeni edhim.Hemadet hei
rappeal
to
thefull
courtofthefull
courtwasoft heopini
onthattheC.J.
’sdiscr
etioninthatr
espectwas
properl
yexerci
sed.

2ndPHASE:
1914-
1962

Inthisphasel egal pr
act i
cewasr estrict edt olegal l
yqual ifi
edlawy ers,thosewhoqual if
iedas
barristerandsol i
cit
orsinBr i
tai
n.Fort hebar r
isters.Tobequal i
fiedasabar risteroneneededt o
beenr oll
edt oanyoft heI nnsofCour tv isav is,thei nnert emple, middletempl e, theGr ay ’
sinn
andLi ncoln’
si nn.These4i nnsofcour tsmakeupt hel egalcounci l
.Toqual ifyf oradmi ssi
onsi n
anyoft hesei nnsy ouneededt ohav eWASSCE; WestAf ri
canSecondar ySchool Certi
ficate
Exami nati
on.Theper i
odoft rai
ningl ast edf or3y ears; t
he1sty earwasf orBarPar t1andt he
l
ast2y earsforBarPar tII.Manyst udent swer enotabl etoat t
endl ecturesbecausel ectures
wer enotcompul sorytheyt ookt opr i
v atet eaching, whatwascompul sor ywer et hedi nners,
therewer e12di nnersf ort he3y ears, fordi nnerseachy ear.Thest udentwhohaspassedbot h
partsandkeptt he12di nni ngt ermst henwer ecal l
edt obarbyt hebodyofbencher soft he
respect iveinnsandst udent sgetenr olledatt heS. CofEngl and.Asabar ri
sterwhi chintentionto
pract i
cei nBritainwill
bef ur t
hersubj ect edt o3mont hspostcal lpracticalcourse, atthe
concl usionofwhi chthest udentwi llgof ora1y earpupi ll
agewhenst udentj oinedt heinnof
chamberaf eeof100gui neasi spaid.Fort he1st6mont hsofpupi ll
agest udentwi l
lnotear n
anyf eeandsubsequent l
ypayi schi ppedi n.Thoughadmi ssionr equir
ementwasWASSCE, some
gotenr ol
ledwhi chLL. Bandt heyenr olledf or2y ears, exempt edf r
om barpar t1.I nNi geriathe
salariesofgr aduat ebar r
ist erswer eenhanced.

WORKOFTHEBARRI
STER

Thebar ri
sterear nshisli
vel
ihoodbyr epresent i
ngl i
ti
gant sincour t.Healsogivesl egalopinion
onmat t
ersr eferr
edtohim byt hesol ici
tors.Abar ri
st erisappointedinacasebyt hesolicit
orhe
hasnodi r
ectcont actwit
ht hel i
ti
gantat tachedt oaf irm ofsoli
citorsandthati sforami nimum
periodof4y ears.Educati
onal quali
ficati
onwasWASSCE.Dur ingar ti
cleasasol icit
oryouneed
topasssol icitor
spartIfor1st2y earsand2nd2y ear sforsol
icitorspartI
I.Thebodyt hatwas
responsiblef ortr
aini
ngorgani zi
ngt hesol i
cit
ors’ exami nati
onist heLawsoci ety.Ifonei sal aw
graduatesuchi sexemptedf r
om t hesol ici
tors’part1andwi ll
st udyforsolici
tors’PartII
, which
i
s2y ears.Thel ectur
eforsolicit
orsbecamecompul soryonlyin1922becauset heirworkwas
mor
eimpor
tantt
hant
hatoft
hebar
ri
ster
.

Thesol i
cit
orinEnglandi sagenerall
egaladvisertotheci
ti
zens.Hedr awsupl easesand
conveyances,draftWill
sandot hercommer ci
al agr
eementandgi vesgenerall
egaladv i
cet
o
cl
ients.Whereal egaldisput
eisgoinghot,theyappointsabarri
stertosett
lepleadingand
presentthecasei ncourt.Havethesoli
cit
orwi l
lseekadvi
cefrom thebarri
sterfrom ti
metoti
me
onbehal fofhi
scl i
ent.

DEFI
CIENCI
ESOFANENGLI
SHTRAI
NEDLAWYERPRACTI
CINGI
NNI
GERI
A

InEngl
andy outrainasabarr
ist
erorsol
ici
torandaf
terqual
if
icat
ionheonl
ypracti
cesther
eas
such.I
nNigeria,uponbei
ngcall
edtothebarandenroll
edattheSupremeCourt
,hepracti
cesas
bothabarr
isterandsoli
cit
or.

InEngl andt
heystudyEngl
ishtext
booksandlawreport
sinparti
cul
arintheconstit
uti
onall
awi
s
studiedinunit
arysyst
em whil
eNigeri
aisafeder
ati
on.Also,hehasnoknowl edgeofthe
Nigeriancust
omar yLawwhichisinci
dent
all
yanessenti
alandsubstant
ialpartofourl
egal
system.

Almostall
pract
iti
oner
sinNiger
iat
rai
nedasbar r
ist
erinEnglandandmostofthem di
dnothav
e
auniver
sit
ydegreeanddidnott
akethe3mont hspostpr act
ical
cour
senei
therweret
hey
att
achedtoanychamberforoneyearpupi
l
lage.Againlectur
eswerenotmandator
y,i
twasonl
y
thedi
nners

Tocor r
ectasanomaliesthefeder
algovernmenti
nApril1959appoint
edacommi ttee
consist
ingoftheregi
onsA.G’ssoli
cit
orgener
alofthefederat
ion,
thel
egalsecr
etaryofthe
southernCameroonand6di sti
ngui
shedlegalpr
acti
ti
onersunderthechai
rmanshipofthethen
A.G.ofFederati
on,Mr.E.
T.CUNSWORTH.Thecommi t
teewasmandat ed

“Toconsiderandmakerecommendati
onforthef
utur
elegal
Educationandadmissi
onto
pract
icetheri
ghtofaudi
encebefor
ethecour
tandmakingofreci
procalar
rangement
sinthi
s
connecti
onwhi chot
hercount
ri
es”

Fr
om t
hecommi
tt
eesr
epor
tpubl
i
shedi
nOct
ober1959,
thef
oll
owi
ngr
ecommendat
ions
emer
ged:
Ni
ger
iashoul
dest
abl
i
shi
tssy
stem ofl
egal
educat
ion

Thatt
hef
acul
tyofl
awshoul
dbeest
abl
i
shed1statt
heuni
ver
sit
ycol
l
ege,
Ibadan;

ThataLawshouldt
obeknownastheNiger
ianLawschool
shoul
dbeest
abl
i
shedt
opr
ovi
de
vocat
ional
cour
sesforwoul
dbel
awyer
s.

Quali
fi
cationf oradmissi
ontolegalpract
iceinNiger
iashoul
dbeadegreei
nlawofany
univ
ersit
ywhosecour seforthedegreeisorgani
zedbytheCounci
lofl
egal
Educat
ionand
vocati
onal courseprescr
ibedbythecouncil.

Anypersongraduati
ngi
nLawf r
om aUniver
sit
ywhichhasnotaccept
edthesyl
labus
recommendedbyt heCounci
lofLegal
Educati
onshoul
dberequir
edtotakesuchfur
ther
examinat
ionasthecounci
lmayprescri
be.

Counci
lofLegal
Educat
ionshoul
dbeest
abl
i
shed.

Majorit
yoftheser ecommendat ionsfr
om UNSWORTHcommi t
teewereacceptedbyt he
governmentandi mpl ementedthelegalEducati
onAct1962andLegalPracti
ti
onersActoft he
samey ear.TheLawschool wassetupi nLate1962andranits1st3mont hscourseforeight
studentsatabui l
dingacquiredbythecouncilatNo,213I
gbosereRoad,Lagos,January–Apr i
l
1963.Thegr aduateal r
eadycall
edtothebarhav etodooneyearcour
se,the1stofwhi ch
start
edinOct ober,1963.

Post1962

Threecategor
iesofpeopl
ecoul
dpr
act
iceasl
egalpr
act
it
ioneri
nNiger
iaundert
heLegal
Pract
it
ionersAct1962nowCap07CFN1990.TheLPAatS.24def
ineaLegalPr
act
it
ioneras

“
Aper
sonwhoi
sent
it
ledi
naccor
dancewhi
chatLPAt
opr
act
iceasa

Bar
ri
sterandsol
i
cit
orei
thergener
all
yorf
ort
hepur
poseofanypar
ti
cul
ar

Of
fi
ceorpr
oceedi
ng”

Thet
hreecat
egor
ies
Thoseent
it
ledt
opr
act
icegener
all
y–bar
ri
ster
sint
hecour
ts

Thoseent
it
ledt
opr
act
icef
ort
hepur
poseofpar
ti
cul
arof
fi
ce

Thoseent
it
ledt
opr
act
icef
orpr
oceedi
ngs

THOSEENTI
TLEDTOPRACTI
CEGENERALLY

Apersonshallbeenti
tl
edtopract
icegeneral
l
yifhi
snameisontherollofl
egal
pract
it
ioner
s
keptbytheChiefRegi
str
aratt
heSupr emeCourtofNi
ger
iaS.21(1)LPA.TheAct(LPA)fur
ther
provi
dedthatapersonshal
lbeentit
ledtohavehi
snameontherolli
f:

Hehasbeencal
l
edt
otheBarbyt
hebencher
s

Heproducesacal
ltoBarCert
if
icatet
otheregist
rarS.4(
1)LPAAscommendedbyDecr
eeNo2,
1992stat
ethecondi
ti
onsforcallt
otheNi
gerianBar.

Aper
sonshal
lbeent
it
ledt
ocal
ltobari
f:

He’
saci
ti
zenofNi
ger
ia.

Hepr
oducesaqual
i
fyi
ngcer
ti
fi
cat
etot
hebencher
s

Hesat
isf
iest
hebenchersthathei
sofgoodchar
act
eri
sti
c.Non-
cit
izensofNi
ger
iacannowbe
cal
l
edattheNiger
iaBari
ftheysat
isf
ycondi
ti
onBandCabov e.

RI
GHTSOFALEGALPRACTI
TIONER

Ri
ghtofRepr
esent
ati
on

Thelegalpract
it
ionerhasr
ightsthatareint
erwovenwhicharerightofrepresentat
ionofli
ti
gant
s,
andrightofaudi
enceincourt.Byprovisi
onofS.8(1)LPA,alegalpract
itionerhastheri
ghtto
repr
esentanotherandshal
l havearightofaudi
enceinallt
hecour t
sofl awsi t
ti
nginNigeri
a.

Alegalpract
it
ionercanonl
yexerciset
hisri
ght,t
hati
s,theri
ghtofrepresent
ati
on&audience
whil
eitisavai
lable&notwhenitisabeyanceorsuspendedforonereasonortheother
,he
ceasestobeal egalpr
acti
ti
onerandonlyconducthi
scaseinpersonasanyot hermemberof
thepubl
ic.Insuchcircumstanceshedoesnothav etherightofaudience&theri
ghttorepresent
aco-defendant/
plai
ntif
finanyacti
on.SeeFawehi nmi v.N.B.A(1989)2N.S.C.
C,1or( No.
1)
19892NWLRPt105@ 494.At akeV.Af ej
ukwu(1994)12SCNJ1OR( 1994)9NWRp. 368@379,
Whereitwashel dthattheproposi
ti
ont hatabar
risterl
iti
gantwhoconduct shiscaseinperson
i
sactingasal egalpracti
ti
onerismisconceiv
ed.

Rightofrepresent
ati
on&audi
encepr
esupposest
her
eisal
i
tigantwhoal
egal
pract
it
ioneri
s
represent
ing.

Thetwinri
ghtsofrepr
esentati
on&audiencehaveconst
it
uti
onalbacki
ngbyvi
rt
ueofprovi
sion
off
airhear
ing,whenalit
iganthasar
ighttothecounsel
ofhischoicet
houghwit
hcer
tain
l
imit
ati
on.

ALPhasar
ightt
orepr
esental
i
tiganti
nal
lcour
tS.36(
6)(
e)1999Const
it
uti
on.

SeeUzodinmav.COP(1982)1NCR27,unt
ilrecent
lyl
egal
pract
it
ioner
swer
enotaccor
dedRof
repr
esent
ati
ve&audi
enceincust
omaryorareacourt.

Theonlyexcept
ionherist
hatSANSarenotaccor
dedr
ightofr
epr
esenti
nint
eri
orcour
tse.
g.,
magist
ratecour
t,cust
omary&areacour
t.

Regd.Tr
ust
eesofECWAChur
chv
.Ij
esha(
1999)13NWLRpt635@ 368

AlegalPract
iti
onerwhoisalit
igant&r epr
esenthi
mselfdoesnotlosehi
sstat
usbecausehei sa
l
iti
gantinper
soni nci
vi
lmatter,legal
practi
ti
onercanberobedbuthewill
speakfr
om thebar.In
cri
minalmattershewil
lnotber obed&cannotspeakfrom thebarbuti
nthedockifheisan
accused.

Whileconduct
inghiscaseinpersoninacivi
lact
ionwit
houtl
osi
nghisstatusasal egal
pract
it
ioner
,heisall
owedt owearhisrobe&speakfrom t
hebackbuti
npr act
ice,
lawy er
sdon’
t
robewhiler
epresent
ingthemsel
v esi
naci v
ilmatt
erGANIv.NBA.I
ncri
mi nalmattershemust
notber obedorspeakfr
om t
hebarev
enwhenpr
osecut
ingnotonl
ywhenl
egal
pract
it
ioneri
sa
defendant/accused.

Newt
onv.Chapl
ain(
1850)19LFC,
Atakev
.Af
ejukwu(
1994)
12SCNJ1or(
1994)9NWLRpar
t
368@369

I
tadv i
sabl
ethatalawyerdonothandlehiscaseinperson,butl
etanot
herlegalpract
it
ionerbe
hiscounselHabibNi
g.BankLtdV.Oy ebanj
i(1988)19NWLRPT580at71.I twasheldthatiti
s
bett
erforaLPt oengagetheser
vicesofanotherlawyer
,becauseemoti
onandsent imentcould
becloudhisvi
sion&reasoni
ngthathecannoteasilyseethi
ngsasanyotherlawyerwouldsee
them.

CompanyFor
mat
ion

Sect
ion35(3)CompaniesandAl li
edMattersAct(CAMA)2004,befor
eacompanyi
s
i
ncorpor
atedbyCorporateAffai
rsCommi ssi
on,cert
aindocument
saretobedel
i
ver
edt
othe
C.A.
Ctogetherwi
thregist
rat
ionfees.Thedocumentsare:

Memor
andum andAr
ti
clesofAssoci
ati
ondul
yst
ampedatt
hest
ampdut
iesof
fi
ces.

For
m CO6–Not
iceofaddr
essoft
her
egi
ster
edof
fi
ceoft
hecompany

For
m CO.07-St
atementoft
hef
ir
stdi
rect
orsoft
hecompany

St
atementoft
heaut
hor
izedshar
ecapi
tal
signedbyatl
eastonedi
rect
or

For
m CO1-St
atut
oryDecl
arat
ionofal
egal
pract
it
ionerengagedi
nthef
ormat
ionoft
he
company

Suchl egalpr
acti
ti
onercanbeani ndependentlegalpr
acti
ti
oner,
oraper sonnamedi nthe
Art
iclesofAssociati
onasdirectororchar
teredsecret
aryofthecompanybei ngformed.The
purposeofst at
utor
ydeclar
ationistoserveasev i
denceofcompliancewiththerequir
ementof
i
ncorpor at
ionofacompanyandmustbepr oducedbeforeacompanyi sincorpor
ated.

Conv
eyanci
ng

Nopersonothert
hanaLPshallei
therdi
rectl
yorindir
ect
lyf
ororinexpectat
ionofanyfeegai
n
orrewarddr
aworprepar
eanyinst
rumentr el
ati
ngt oi
mmov abl
epropert
y.Seelandsi
nstr
ument
prepar
ati
onlaw1959wester
nNigeri
aS.2&4.br eachof whi chatt
ractpenal
tyofN100fine
I
nstr
umentmeansanydocument
,confer
ri
ng,t
ransfer
ri
ng,char
gingorext
ingui
shinganyr
ight
,
t
it
leori
nter
esti
nlandi
ncl
udi
ngunextr
actedmineral
sbutdoesnotincl
udeawi l
l
.

Examplesofsuchi
ncludesbutnotLtdtodeedsofassignment,l
easeagreementetc.By
necessar
yimpli
cat
ionsoilmi
ningleases&li
censegrantedbygovernmenttooi
lprospecti
ng&
Explor
ati
onCompanymustbepr eparedbyalegalpr
actiti
oner

Preparati
onofdocument sforprobateorlett
erofadmi nistr
ation.See5.22(d)LPA.Itisonlya
l
egal practi
tioneratcanpr epar
edocument sforthegrantofpr obateorlett
erofadmi nist
rat
ion.
Probateisusedi nrel
ati
ont owhent herei
sanexecut edwi llbyat estat
or,whil
elett
erof
administrat
ioni susedwher eamandi escourtawi l
lorintestate.Beforeatgrantofprobateit
executorsnamedi nitprobateregist
ryoftheHi ghcourtwher eitestateissi
tuateforagranton
probateoft hewi l
l(onl
yal awyerwi l
l
)

Afterobt
aini
ngthegrantofprobateofawi
ll
itexecut
orswil
lpr
oceedcour
titadmini
str
ati
onof
theestat
eofattest
atorinaccordancewi
ththewishofthet
est
atori
naccordancewit
hthewish
ofthetest
ator.

Bysect
ion22(d)oft
heLPA,iti
sexclusi
vel
ythedutyoft
hel
egal
pract
it
ionert
opr
epar
ethe
document&applyf
orthegr
antofprobateofawil
l.

Bylawwhenamandi esintestatehisestateisv estedi nthechiefjudgeofast atei

nwhi chthe
estat
eissituat
eandnoonehast hepowert odeal withitunlesshehasobt ainedagr antoflet
ter
ofadminist
rati
onf r
om thepr obateregistr
yoft hehi ghcour tofthestate.Certainformsar efil
l
ed
offormali
ti
esar eobser
v edbef or
ebeengr antedl ettersofadmi nistr
ati
ont otheper sonalrepsof
thedeceased.Itisonl
yal egalpractit
ionerthati saut horizedbysect i
on22( d)LPAt oappl yfor
grantofl
etterofadministr
ation,breachofwhi chi saf ineN100

Appoi
ntmentasaj
udge

I
tisonlyal egalpr
act
it
ionerthatcanbeappointedajudgetoasuper
iorcourt
.Thebasic
requir
ementasst i
pul
atedbyt heConsti
tut
ionisminimum of10year
spostcallexper
ienceA
j
udgei sexpectedtoobservepossesstherequi
redjudi
cial
poli
cyofi
ntegri
ty,
deepknowl edgeof
thelaw,honesty&senseofj ust
ice.Hi
sperfor
mancemustbehi ghandnotlowandmusthav e
beennoticedinsomeinstances.
Appoi
ntmentasAt
tor
neyGener
alandMi
nist
erofJust
ice

Onlylawy er
swillbeappoint
edasAt tor
neyGeneralandminist erofjusti
ceofthefederat
ionor
commi ssi
onerf
orjusti
ceofstates.TheAttor
neyGeneralrepresentt hegovernmentandhis
parastatali
nbothcivi
landcriminalact
ionsandassuchmustbeonet hathasar i
ghtof
representat
ionandaudience.Forexample,aret
ir
edordismi ssedj udgedoesnothav ear i
ghtof
audience&r epr
esentat
ionincourtanymore.Amagi st
rat
eei therreti
redordismissedissti
llaLP

Acriminal
acti
onandassuchmustbeonet hathasrightofrepr
esent
ati
on&audiencee.
ga
ret
ir
edjudgecannotbeA.GorMini
sterofjust
ice,orA.Gorcommi ssi
onerofj
ust
iceofastat
e,
becausehenolongerhasari
ghtofaudience&r epr
esentati
onincourt(
High–Supremecourt
j
udges).

Itshoul
dbenotedt
hatal
egal
practi
ti
onerhasimmuni
tyi
nli
ti
gat
ionandhei
sal
soi
mmuneast
o
anystat
ementhemakesi
ncourtduri
ngli
ti
gati
on

I
mper
sonat
ingal
egal
pract
it
ioner

5.
22(
1)ofLPA

Fori
mper
sonati
ngal
egal
pract
it
ioneri
sfi
neorN200ort
erm ofi
mpr
isonmentofnotmor
ethan
2year
sorbot
hin

Pr
act
icesorhel
dhi
msel
foutasaLP

Knowi
ngl
yusesname,
tit
le,
addi
ti
onsordescr
ipt
ionsi
mpl
yi
ngt
hehei
sal
egal
pract
it
ioner

Orr
ecogni
zedbyl
awt
oactasLP

Pr
epar
esinst
ruments,
documentofgr
antofpr
obat
eorl
ett
ersofadmi
nist
rat
ion,
orpr
oceedi
ngs
i
ncour
t.

Bytheprovi
sionofS.22(2)LPAsuchaper sonorof f
endercanbedealtwit
hforcontemptof
courtbutnoproceedi
ngsf oranoff
enceundert hi
ssect i
onshal
lbebroughtaf
tercontempt
proceedi
ngshavebeendeal twit
h.Proceedingsinrespectofof
fencesundert
hisprovi
sioni
s
stat
utebarr
edf r
om wit
ht hedateofoffence.
Rest
ri
cti
onsast
otheRi
ghtofaLegal
Pract
it
ionert
oPr
act
ice

Fai
l
uret
opaypr
act
ici
ngf
ee

S.18(
2)LPA,Rul
es51(a)(b)Rul
esofpr
ofessi
onal
conductandS.
2(2)i
ioft
heconst
it
uti
onof
theNi
geri
anBarAssoci
ati
on.

Alegalpracti
ti
onersmustpayhispr acti
cingf
eeannuall
ybefore31stJanuar
yofev er
yyearfor
hi
mt obeaccor dedr i
ghtofaudi
encei nNiger
iacour
t.Somejudgeshelptoenforcepaymentof
pract
ici
ngf eesbutiti
sstil
lacourseofconcernfori
tNBAt houghNBAi ssti
l
ltry
ingtoworkout
enfor
cementmodal iti
es.

ThePract
ici
ngf
eesi
spayablet
otheregi
steroftheS.Cwhoshal
lissuerecei
ptpubli
sht
hel
i
st
ofbr
anchesofNBAhel
pinthepaymentofthefeestoeaset
heproblem forl
awyers.

Rest
ri
cti
ont
oRi
ghtofLegal
Pract
it
ionerPubl
i
cOf
fi
ceandPr
ivat
ePr
act
ice

Fr
om 12t
hDecember1984alegalpr
acti
ti
onerwhoisapubli
coff
icermustnotengageinpr
ivat
e
pr
acti
ceaspr
ovi
dedinS.1Regul
atedandotherPr
ofessi
onal(
Pri
vatePr
acti
ceProhibi
ti
on/
Decr
ee1984)
.

Pr
ivat
epract
icei
nrel
ati
ontot
hisdecr
eei
slawl
ect
urers/par
tti
mel
ect
urer
scannol
onger
pr
acti
cebecauset
heyarer
egar
dedassal
ari
edl
awyers.

Renderi
ngtoanyot
herpersonnotbeingtheemployeroranyot herpersonnor
mallyent
it
ledi
n
thecourseofhi
sof
fi
cial
dutiestorecei
vesuchservi
cewhet herornotaf t
ercl
oseofworkorfr
ee
daysformoneywort
horanyot herval
uableconsi
derat
ionsuchser vi
cesprohi
bit
edincl
udes:

Render
ingadv
iseorconsul
tancyser
vices
I
ssuanceofcer
ti
fi
cat
e

Cer
ti
fi
cat
ionofdocument
set
c.ev
eni
npar
tner
shi
pwi
thanot
herwhoi
snotapubl
i
cof
fi
cer

Except
ions:
Out
sidehi
snor
mal
off
ici
aldut
iesapubl
i
cof
fi
cercanr
enderser
vicesi
n5.
1(2)

Forhi
msel
f

I
fher
ender
sitt
oaper
soni
nanyemer
gency

Toanyper
sonwhet
hercor
por
ate/i
ncor
por
ateaut
hor
ized

Ei
thergeneral
lyorspeci
fical
l
ybythegovernmenttor
ecei
vet
hemustbeamembert heser
vices
ofthatpr
ofessional
fortheti
mebeingorforaperi
odHowdoy our
ecogni
zeapr
ofessi
onalbody
whichhebelongs?E.g.NBAf ol
l
ow/Associat
einICSA,I
CAN,
NSE

Wheresuchser
vicesarer
enderedf
ree,t
oanyfamil
ymember ,
char
it
abl
eorgani
zat
ionorany
per
sononhumani t
ari
anbasi
s,orpr
ofessi
onal
associat
iont
owhichhebel
ongs.

Penal
ti
es

Af
ir
stof
fender
,N2000or1y
eari
mpr
isonment

2ndof
fenderN5000or2y
ear
simpr
isonment

3r
doffender
,3year
simpr i
sonmentwi
thoutopt
ionoff
ine.SeeS.2ofRegul
atedandot
her
Pr
ofessi
onPriv
atePract
ice

Apar
tfrom penal
tyoff
ineandori
mpr
isonmentt
henameofsuchl
egal
pract
it
ioneri
sst
ruckof
f
ther
oll

Seni
orAdv
ocat
eofNi
ger
ia(
SAN)

Inaccordancewi t
htherulesmadebyt helegalPract
it
ioner
sPr
ivi
legesCommitt
eescheduled–
theresponsibi
l
ityofconferr
ingthatr
ankofSANondeser vi
ngl
egalP.,aSANcannotengagein
soli
cit
orsjobunlessinpartner
shipwithanotherLEGALPRACTITI
ONERwhoi snotaSAN

Hi
spri
nci
palt
askisadv
ocacyset
ti
ngt
hepacef
orj
uni
orst
ofol
l
owandi
mpr
ovi
ngt
hel
otoft
he
l
egal
prof
essi
on.
ASANmustappeari nanysuperi
orcourtofr
ecor
dinci
vilcaseswi
thatl
eastaj
uni
ororanother
SANifnotheloseshi
srightofr
epresent
ati
onandaudi
ence.SeeRule2(
1)SANpri
vil
egesand
funct
ionsRul
esof1979

ASANcannotappearini
nfer
iorcour
t(Ar
eacour
t,cust
omar
y,magi
str
ate)Regd.Tr
ust
eeof
ECWAv.I
jesha(supr
a)

EXCEPTI
ONS

ALPcanbeaboar dmemberofacompanywhi
chdoesnoti
nvol
veexecut
ive,
admi
nist
rat
ionor
cl
eri
cal
funct
ion.

Hecanbesecr
etar
yofaboar
dorGM ofcompany

Hecanbeashar
ehol
deri
sacompany

Alegal
pract
it
ioneri
sspeci
fi
call
ybarr
edfrom sal
eorpurchaseofcommodi
tyf
ir
sthandoras
commissi
onagentorshiphandl
er(cl
ear
ingandforwar
ding)

Ret
ir
edJudi
cial
Off
icer

292(2)’
99consti
tuti
on.Ar et
ir
edj udici
alof
ficerforanyreasonwhatev
ercannotappearoractas
LPbeforeanycourtoflawort r
ibunal i
nNigeria.SeeAtakev.Afej
ukwu(supr
a).ByS.318(1)
1999cons.Judi
cialoff
icesmean‘ JudgesoftheH. C,FHC,C.A,
S.C,Gr
andKhadi,Khadiofshar
ia
cour
tofappeal,
president(Judgeofcust omar ycourtofappeal
).

Otherr
est
ri
cti
onsonreti
redj
udici
alof
fi
cer
sreti
redlawyer
sasstat
edonrul
e39r
ulesP.Cas
amendedbyGovernmentnot
iceNo476,15thJuly1982areasf
oll
ows:

Alawy
ershouldnotacceptanybr
iefi
nrel
ati
ont
oamat
terupont
hewhi
chhehaspr
evi
ousl
y
act
edinj
udi
cialcapaci
ty

Alawyerhav
inghel
dpubl
i
coffi
ceori
npubli
cemploy
mentshouldnotaf
terr
eti
rementaccepta
br
iefi
nconnecti
oncanymat
terchehasadvi
sedonordeal
twit
hwhilei
nsuchemployment .

Aj
udi
cial
off
iceraf
terr
eti
rementcannotacceptpl
eadi
ngi
.e.st
atementofcl
aims,
def
ense

Areti
redj
udi
cial
off
icershal
lonl
ypr
act
iceasasol
i
cit
or,
theycandr
aftagr
eementbutcannot
appeari
ncour
tasanadv ocat
eagai
n.

Ar
eti
redJ.Omaypract
iceasalegalconst
ante.
g.wri
ti
nglegal
opi
nion,
headpanel
ofi
nqui
ry,
be
ar
esourceper
soni
nwor kshoporseminar
,ar
bit
rat
orsetc.
Aret
iredJ.Of
fi
cerisbarr
edfr
om si
gni
nganydocumentoraddr
essorcal
l
shimselft
obe
addr
essedcdesignat
ionashonor
abl
ejust
iceev
enifused;
aret
ir
edHonjust
ice.

Ar et
iredJ.Omustnotpubl i
canar t
iclei
nanyj our
nal,magazi neornewspaperper
iodi
calor
discussanyt opicinanynewsmedi um orconducthimsel finpubli
cinsuchmannerast omake
publicbeli
evehei sstil
laserv
ingjudici
alof
ficeroraddresshim assuch.Anydescript
ionor
designati
onofRet i
redJust
iceoff
icershall
bewr it
tenoral t
eredwithoutt
hewor dj
usti
ce,but
suchj udi
cial
of f
icermaysignanydocumentorcausehi msel ftobeaddressedasthehonorabl
e
Mr .
—-

Dut
yofCounsel
toCour
t

Counsel
hasdut
ytogot
ocour
t

At
tendal
lcour
tsi
tt
ings

Counsel
mustknowandmai
ntai
ncor
rectdecor
um i
ncour
t.

Counselmustr
isewhenaddr
essi
ngorbei
ngaddr
essedbyt
hej
udge(
twocounsel
smustnot
ri
se/standatt
hesametime).

Counsel
mustnott
alkwhent
hej
udgei
stal
ki
ng

Counsel
mustbepr
oper
lydepr
essedorat
ti
red

Counsel
mustnotassumeundi
gni
fi
edposture,
somerai
singuponeleg,
standi
ngaki
mbo,hands
i
npocket,r
obeorderobei
nacour
troom.seeLORDDENNING’SBook“DISCI
PLINEOFLAW,
wherehestat
edthus:

“What everthet ri
bunal , y
oumustgi vegoodi mpr ession,yourappearancemeansal ot .Dress
neat l
ynotsl ovenly,bewel lgroomed, yourv oicemustbepl easi
ng,pitchitsoal lcanhear
withoutstrainingtohearpr onouncey ourconsonant s,donotsluryourwor ds,speaknott oofast
nory ettoosl ow.Al ltheset hingsarecommonst epspl ace,butaresoof tenforgotten, thatI
war n,nohandsi npocket s,itshowssl ovenli
ness, nofidgeti
ngwithr obe, nowhi speringwi t
h
neighboritshowsdi sr espect ,no“eh!”notknowi ngwhatt osaynext.Av oidmanner ismsl i
kea
plague;itdistractsat tention.Don’tbedul l
,itdistractattenti
on,don’tbel ongwi nded, all t
hese
l
osey ouyourhear ers, andoncey ouhav el oset hem, y
ouar edonef or,youcannev ergetback,
notsoast ol i
stenat tent i
vely.
”

Respectf
orcour
t

Av
oidDel
ayofMat
teri
nCour
t

Dut
yofcandorandf
air
ness
Dut
ynott
ocur
ryf
avorf
rom t
hecour
t

Dut
yofCour
ttoCounsel

A.Dut
ytogr
antf
airhear
ing

Oneofthedut
iesacourtowecounselwhichi
salsobackedbyt
heConst
itut
ionoft
heFeder
al
Republ
i
cofNigeri
aisfai
rhear
ing.Byfai
rhear
ing,i
tmeansthet
windoct
ri
neofNatural
Just
ice
(Nemojudexi
ncausasuaandaudi al
ter
am part
em)

Aheari
ngcanonlybefairwhenal
lthepart
iestoadisputear
egivenopport
uni
tyofbei
nghead
whenoneoftheparti
esisref
usedhear
ing,thepr
oceedingscannotqual
i
fyasfai
rhear
ingi
n
Adesul
uv.Okul
aja(1998)5NWLRPt550@435.

Fairhearingissaidtobeat r
ialconductedaccordingtoallthel
egalrul
escumulatedtoensure
thatjusti
cei sdonetot heparti
es.Thet r
uetestofF.Hi stheimpressi
onofareasonableperson
whowaspr esentatthetrai
lwhet herf
rom hisobservati
onjusti
cehasbeendonei nacase.
Fail
uret oensurethatf ai
rheari
ngi sgrant
edv i
ti
atestheentirepr
oceedingswherefairhear
ingi
s
notgr antedthedecisionarri
vedatnomat t
erhowemi nentl
ywrit
tenisatotal
null
ity
.

I
nst
ancesofBr
eachoft
hePr
inci
pleofFai
rHear
ingbyt
heCour
t

Cour
tref
usal
ofr
easonabl
erequestf
oradj
our
nmentandpr
oceedi
ngwi
thcasebecausecounsel

Fai
l
uret
oheart
headdr
essofonecounsel
aft
erhear
ingt
headdr
essoft
heot
hercounsel
.

Wher
ethecour
tdi
dnotal
l
owcounsel
tocal
lhi
swi
tnesses.

Ajudgeisenjoinedt
obei mpart
ialandobser
verulesofnat
uralj
usti
ceinordert
oupholdthe
pri
ncipl
eoffairhear
ing.SeeSTATEV.OJENUBI( 1973)3UILRP@ 156.Toensurethatadj
udge
i
simpar t
ial
therearecir
cumstanceswhenajudgesi spr
ecl
udedfrom hear
ingacasetheyareas
fol
lows:

i whenhehaspersonali
nter
est
,thati
swher
ehecoul
dbeseent
obeaj
udgei
nhi
smat
ter
(
Nemojudexi
ncausasua).
i
i whenhavingdeal
twit
hthesameissueanditcomesupwhenheisinasuper
iorposi
ti
on
andhe’
sbeingcall
edupontodeci
deanappealofhisowndeci
sion(
heshoul
dnotadjudi
cat
e
suchbecausehecannotov
errul
ehimsel
f)

i
ii Wher ebecauseofsomel at
entconnect
ionofbecauseet
heroft
hepar
ti
esoral
lthem i
t
wil
lbeunconsci
onablepar
ti
cipateint
heheari
ngofthecase

i
v Wher egeneral
lyhei
sbeenamemberofat
ri
bunal
woul
dnotappeart
obei
nthei
nter
est
ofj
ust
iceashewi l
lnotbeseent
odoj
ust
ice.

v Wher
eaj udgeisseentobebiasedei
theraasr esul
tofmonet
aryi
nter
estornatur
al
aver
siontothefactsofthecasebecauseheisincapabl
eofsuppr
essi
nghisnatur
aland
i
nsti
nctiv
etendencies.

I
tisworthyt
onotethatiti
stheli
ti
gant
(s)whenaj
udgmenti
ssetasi
deonaccountofbr
eachof
f
airhear
ingandnotjudge.I
nnocentMaduf
urOzi
msv.Edwar
dsAnuru(1991)3NWLR181@571

Althoughaj udgemustbeimparti
alhecannotsitunconcernedwher ecounsel
’si
ncompetenceis
l
ikelytocausei nj
ust
ice(maybewhereajuniorcounselisbeingsenttocourtwhenitisappar
ent
thatajuniorcounselisbei
ngsentt
ocourtwheni ti
sappar entthatajuni
orcannothandl
ethe
mat ter
).

InALHAJIMUSAOMOELEJAV.BANGUDU( 1994)3NSCR334@534.I twasheldthat,i

tisof
fundament alimpor t
ancei ntheadmi nistr
ati
onofj usti
ceatt hecour tshouldnotall
owi t
sjudici
al
rul
easani mpar ti
alandunbi asedar bitertobediv er
tedbyt heconductofani napt
itudecounsel.
Thecour thasi tpri
mar yruleofdoi ngj usti
cebetweent hepar ti
esbef oreit
,ajudgeshould
theref
ore,notsi tunconcernedwat chi ngwher eignorance,inadvertenceorf or
getf
ulnessof
counselislikelytoresortininjusti
ce.I nsuchcircumst ancesaj udgei sunderadutyt ocorr
ect
theerrorleadingtosuchi njusticeifthiswillnotresorttoinjust
icetot heotherpart
y .

Dut
yofCour
tnott
oInt
erf
ereorDescendt
otheAr
enaofJust
ice
Closet othedutytoobservefai
rheari
ngi
sthedut yofcourtnott
oint
erfer
eintheproceedi
ngs
beforeit.Courtmustallowcounselt
oconducthiscaseinthewayhethoughbestandshould
notinterferebydi
ctat
ingthemannerincauseacounsel shoul
dconductit
scase.Onemay
readil
yr efert
otheadviceofLordGREENEM. Rwasr ecal
ledbyLordDENNINGMRi nJONESv .
National CALBOARD( 1957)2WLR760@ 766t hat

“
Just
icei
sbestdonebyaj
udgewhoowest
hebal
ancebet
weent
hecont
endi
ngpar
ti
es”

InUzov .Police(1972)11SCE37or( 1972)ANLR825.I twashel dt hati

nt heNigeriansystem of
cri
mi nal t
ri
al,thej udgeasumpi reisnotexpect edtodescendi ntot hear ena,f
orthepr ocedureis
acqui sit
iont hatt heinnocenceoft heaccusedi spresumedunt i
l heisprov edguil
tybyt he
prosecut i
on.Thepr ocedur eadoptedbyt het r
ialmagistrateisimpr oper.Inthatheper sonall
y
tookov erfrom t hepr osecuti
on,andsubj ectedt heaccusedper sont oalengthydisconcerti
ng
crossexami nationi nanef f
orttodiscredithi
m onani r
relevantissueoff or
geryandonachar ge
ofst ealingsomecl othi
ng.Itisimpossi bl
etohol dthathisf i
ndingofgui ltontheonl ycharge
befor ethecour twasnoti nfl
uencedbyhi sunnecessar ypr eoccupat ionofthecour twiththat
i
rrelev antissue.Seet hecaseofR. VCl ewer( 1953)CAR37

Jamesv
.Nat
ional
Coal
Boar
d(1957)2QB59

Akunf
ev.St
ate(
1988)3SCNJ117

Thecour tisal
lowedt oaskquest i
onsonl ywheni tisimpor tanttodoso, f
orthepurposeof
cleari
nganyambi guityinrelati
ont ofacts/document .Ithasbeenhel dinOkor i
ev .Police(1966)
LLR134at136.Cour theldt hatitisthedut yofajudgeoramagi str
at etositasanadj udicator
all
owi ngbothpart
iestoconductt heirrepresent
ative’scasesi nthelightofhowt heyseei t
withouttheadjudi
catorent eri
ngt hearenaandonl yinterposingforthepur poseofcl ar
ifi
cati
on
andwhent heint
erestofjust i
cerequiresit.Thequest ionswhi chwilldeterminethelifeissuesin
themat t
eri
ndisputebet weenpar tiesshouldnotbeaskedbyt hecourt.SeeOt ej
uv .Olujanaand
others.Courti
sadv i
sedt obecaut i
ouswhi l
easkingquest ionsandmustdr opanyquest ionthat
willgi
v eanswersfavorabletoonepar ty.

Ajudgei
spermitt
edbeingthemat
terofthecasebefor
ehimtodir
ectt
hemanneri
ncour
ta
casebeconduct
edbeforehimi
nordertoarr
iveatj
ustconcl
usi
onofmatt
er.Aj
udgemaydi
rect
consol
idat
ionofmatter
s,orthatmotionsthatarependingbe.Hecanalsogivehint
sli
keaski
ng
ajuni
orcounseltot
akeadat etoenableapr i
nci
pal counsel
beincourttoconductacase
hi
mself.Wherethecourti
nterf
eresundulyincourtproceedi
ngs,
thejudgmentmaybesetaside.

Dut
yofCour
ttoAl
l
owCounsel
Addr
esst
heCour
t

Thisisoneofthebasicri
ghtsofaLPandt hecourtowesitadut
ytoallowacounselt
oaddr ess
i
t.Refusalofr
ightofaudi
encetocounseli
ncour ti
sabreachoff
airheari
ngandnull
i
fiessuch
proceedi
ngs.I
nUWAI FOJCAi nSali
uv.If
e( 1996)5NWLRPt450@564hel d

“I
tist hereforeasur pri
sethatt helearnedtri
al j
udgei nthepresentcasedi dallhecoul dtoscar e
awaycounsel ,whomi ghthav ebeenofassi stancet othecausebef orehim andt ohaveopened
himsel fupt oavoidablecri
ticism.Counsel areent i
tledtobeaccor dedthatrightofaudi enceand
tobet r
eatedcdueconsi derationbyt hecourtbef orecourttheyappear.Iti
si ndecentand
discour t
eousofanyj udgetot akeundueadv antageofhi simmuni tytoembar rassacounsel that
i
sacl earcaseofabuseofpr ivi
lege.Thecour tisandmustber unsolemn,dignifiedandciv i
l
ized
forum wher et hesacreddut yoft headmi ni
strati
onofj usti
ceiscar r
iedoutcauseaconsi stent
sobr i
etyoft hemind.I ti
snotapandemoni um from wher einsultsareshoutedt hatwil
l surel
y
hav etheconsequencesofdi scredit
ingthejudiciaryandbringingitint
odisreput e.”

Anyjudgewhodoesso, i
sanagentofsuchodi um,inthatwayIam afrai
dhepainf
ull
yconsti
tut
e
hi
msel fali
abi
li
tyt
ot hej
udi
ciar
y.Ihol
dthattheleanedtrial
judgeact
edoutsi
dehisdutyand
wasinaser i
ouserr
ortohavedemandedl etal
oneinsist
edt oseeapowerofatt
orneyfor
mt he
appel
lant’
scounselwhoannouncedhisappearanceforleave.

Dut
yofRespectf
orCounsel

Ascounsel isenj
oinedt orespectthecourt
,soalsoisthecourtobli
gedtor espectcounsel.I
n
Ezeoguv .Onwuchekwe( 1997)FORENWLRPT502, 689696.Itwashel dthatiti
snott he
funct
ionofaj udgeinwr it
inghisjudgmenttorundowncounsel byusingder ogator
ylanguages.
Thebenchdeser vesr espectfr
om t hebar
,heshouldgivecounseldueregardandr espectabi
li
ty.
Respectbegetsrespectandt hepr ivi
l
egedposit
ionofthejudgeshouldnotbeabusedas
opportunit
yforpassingunwar rantedandunnecessaryremarksoncounsel.

Thisdutyofrespectforcounsel
istoensurethatt
heprof
essi
onal
reput
eismaintai
ned,and
aboveallensurethatjust
icei
sdone.Justi
cecannotbesai
dtobedonewheretherei
saserious
misunderstandi
ngbetweenacour tandthecounsel
,i
nsuchsit
uat
ionacounselmayall
egebias,
courtshoul
dbecauti
oustocounselandmustavoi
dwordsoracti
onthatmayembarr
assa
counsel.Heshoul
drememberfi
rst,
thathei
salegalpr
act
it
ioner
,andprof
essi
onal
coll
eagueof
counsel.

Counselhasbeenadvi
sedthatwhenthecour
tmakesanunjust
if
iedandunpl
easantat
tackon
hi
m, pati
encecoupl
edwit
hasenseofhumorwi l
lbeaval
uableweapon,i
fnott
hecourtmay
si
det hej
udgeandsuecounselforcont
emptofcour
t.

Ot
herDut
iesofCour
ttoCounsel

Punct
ual
i
ty

Courtmustbepunctuali
nsit
ti
ngandmustdelaycounsel
unnecessar
il
yincour
t.I
fforany
reasonaj
udgeislat
et ocour
t,heshoul
dapol
ogizet
ocounselfordel
ayi
nghim.

Dut
yofHonest
y

Thecourtmustavoi
danythi
ngthatmaytar
nishther
eput
ati
onofthecour
tHemustav oi
d
bri
beryandcorr
upti
onl
ikeaplague.Aj
udgemustbecourageousandst
andagai
nstanyact
gearedtowar
dscompromisi
nghisdutyasajudge

Dut
yofDi
l
igenceandSki
l
l

Ajudgemustbecompet entinthecontroloft hev,mat terofthecaseandabov eallmusti

nthe
i
nterestofj
usti
ceprevent,anavoidabledelayi nli
ti
gati
on.Gr antofunreasonabl
e, l
ong
adjournment
s,ir
regul
arsitt
ingmustbeav oided.Aj udgemustensur ethatj
usti
ceisdoneand
shouldnotbeinter
est
edi nconvicti
onbutensur ethattherightpersonbeconv i
cted,t
hatt
he
tr
uthshouldbeknownandt hatjust
iceshoul dbedone.

Wr
it
tenbyFel
i
xchi
bui
ke(
Lawf
acul
tyuni
ver
sit
yofcal
abar
)

Legal
Resusci
tat
ion(
Facebook)
.