Jurisdiction

Nigeria

Criminal Code Act - Chapter 77 1916 (1990)

Part 1
Introductory
Interpretation: Application: General Principles

Chapter 3
Application of Criminal Law

12. Where by the provisions of any Federal law the doing of any act or the making of any omission is constituted an offence those provisions shall apply to every person who is in Nigeria at the time of his doing the act or making the omission.

With regard to such offences which are of such a nature that they comprise several elements, if any acts or omissions or events actually occur, which, if they all occurred in Nigeria, would constitute an offence, and any of such acts or omissions or events occur in Nigeria, although all pr some of the other acts or omissions or events which, if they occurred in Nigeria, would be elements of the offence occur elsewhere than in Nigeria ; then -

(1) if the act or omission, which in the case of an offence wholly committed in Nigeria would be the initial element of the offence, occurs in Nigeria, the person who does that act or makes that omission is guilty of an offence of the same kind and is liable to the same punishment, as if all the subsequent elements of the offence had occurred in Nigeria ; and

(2) if that act or omission occurs elsewhere than in Nigeria, and the person who does that act or makes that omission afterwards comes into Nigeria, he is by such coming into Nigeria guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if that act or omission had occurred in Nigeria and he had been in Nigeria when it occurred.

But in any such case it is a defence to the charge to prove that the accused person did not intend that the act or omission should have effect in Nigeria. This section does not extend to a case in which the only material event that occurs in Nigeria is the death in Nigeria of a person whose death is caused by an act, done or omitted to be done, at a place not in Nigeria and at a time when he was not in Nigeria.

Part 1
Introductory
Interpretation: Application: General Principles

Chapter 3
Application of Criminal Law

12A. (1) Where by the provisions of any law of a State the doing of any act or the making of any
omission is constituted an offence, those provisions shall apply to every person who is in the State at the time of his doing the act or making the omission.

(2) With regard to any such offence which is of such a nature that it comprises several elements, if any acts or omissions or events actually occur, which, if they all occurred in the State, would constitute an offence, and any of such acts or omissions or events occur in the State, although all or some of the other acts or omissions or events which, if they occurred in the State, would be elements of the offence occur elsewhere than in the State, then -

(a) if the act or omission, which in the case of an offence committed wholly in the State would be the initial element of the offence, occurs in the State, the person who does that act or makes that omission is guilty of an offence of the same kind and is liable to the same punishment as if all the subsequent elements of ,the offence had occurred in the State ; and
(b) if that act or omission occurs else where than in the State, and the person who does that act or makes that omission afterwards comes into the State, he is by such coming into the State guilty of an offence of the same kind and is liable to the same punishment, as if that act or omission had occurred in the State and he had been in the State when it occurred.

But in any such case it is a defence to the charge to prove that the Focused person did not intend that the act or omission should have effect in the State. This subsection does not extend to a case in which the only material event that occurs in the State is the death in the State of a person whose death is caused by an act, done or omitted to be done, at a place not in the State and at a time when he was not in the State.

Part 1
Introductory
Interpretation: Application: General Principles

Chapter 3
Application of Criminal Law

13. (1) Any person who, having while out of Nigeria procured another to do or omit to do in Nigeria an act of such a nature that if he had himself done the act or made the omission in Nigeria, he would have been guilty of an offence, afterwards comes into Nigeria, is by such coming into Nigeria guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if he himself had done the act or made the omission in Nigeria.

Any person who, having while out of Nigeria counselled or procured the commission of an offence which is actually committed in Nigeria, afterwards comes into Nigeria, is by such coming into Nigeria guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if he had been in Nigeria when the offence was committed.

(2) In this section, "offence" means an offence against any Federal law.

Part 1
Introductory
Interpretation: Application: General Principles

Chapter 3
Application of Criminal Law

14. Any person who while in Nigeria procures another to do an act or make an omission at a place not in Nigeria of such a nature that, if he had himself done the act or made the omission in Nigeria, he would have been guilty of an offence, and that, if he had himself done the act or made the omission, he would have been guilty of an offence under the laws in force in the place where the act or omission is done or made, is guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if the act had been done or the omission had been made in Nigeria.

14 A. Any person who while in a State procures another to do an act or make an omission at a place
not in the State of such a nature that if he had himself done the act or made the omission in the State he would have been himself guilty of an offence against a law of the State, and that, if he had done the act or made the omission he would have been guilty of an offence under the laws of the place where the act or omission is done or made, is guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if the act had been done or the omission had been made in the State.

15. Members of the armed forces and of the police forces of Nigeria are subject to the special laws relating to the forces to which they respectively belong, but are not exempt from the provisions of this code.

Rome Statute

Article 11 Jurisdiction ratione temporis

1. The Court has jurisdiction only with respect to crimes committed after the entry into force of this Statute.

2. If a State becomes a Party to this Statute after its entry into force, the Court may exercise its jurisdiction only with respect to crimes committed after the entry into force of this Statute for that State, unless that State has made a declaration under article 12, paragraph 3.

Article 12 Preconditions to the exercise of jurisdiction

1. A State which becomes a Party to this Statute thereby accepts the jurisdiction of the Court with respect to the crimes referred to in article 5.

2. In the case of article 13, paragraph (a) or (c), the Court may exercise its jurisdiction if one or more of the following States are Parties to this Statute or have accepted the jurisdiction of the Court in accordance with paragraph 3:

(a) The State on the territory of which the conduct in question occurred or, if the crime was committed on board a vessel or aircraft, the State of registration of that vessel or aircraft;

(b) The State of which the person accused of the crime is a national.

3. If the acceptance of a State which is not a Party to this Statute is required under paragraph 2, that State may, by declaration lodged with the Registrar, accept the exercise of jurisdiction by the Court with respect to the crime in question. The accepting State shall cooperate with the Court without any delay or exception in accordance with Part 9.

Article 13 Exercise of jurisdiction

The Court may exercise its jurisdiction with respect to a crime referred to in article 5 in accordance with the provisions of this Statute if:

(a) A situation in which one or more of such crimes appears to have been committed is referred to the Prosecutor by a State Party in accordance with article 14;

(b) A situation in which one or more of such crimes appears to have been committed is referred to the Prosecutor by the Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations; or

(c) The Prosecutor has initiated an investigation in respect of such a crime in accordance with article 15.