criminal proceedings involving or relating to any penalty, forfeiture, punishment or other liability in respect of
an offence committed by any person.
(2) The reference to civil or criminal proceedings in this section includes a reference to the proceedings which
originate in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and those which are brought before the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to be dealt with by the Court in the exercise of its appellate or
supervisory jurisdiction.
258. The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall be duly constituted if it consists of at least one
Judge of that court.
259. Subject to the provisions of any Act of the National Assembly, the Chief Judge of the High Court of the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja may make rules for regulating the practice and procedure of the High Court of
the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
E - The Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
260. (1) There shall be a Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
(2) The Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall consist of (a) a Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal. and
(b) such number of Kadis of the Sharia Court of Appeal as may be prescribed by an Act of the National
Assembly.
261. (1) The appointment of a person to the office of the Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall be made by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial
Council, subject to confirmation of such appointment by the Senate.
(2) The appointment of a person to the office of a Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal shall be made by the
President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.
(3) A person shall not be qualified to hold office as Grand Kadi or Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja unless (a) he is a legal practitioner in Nigeria and has so qualified for a period of not less than ten years and has
obtained a recognised qualification in Islamic law from an institution acceptable to the National Judicial Council;
or
(b) he has attended and has obtained a recognised qualification in Islamic law from an institution approved by
the National Judicial Council and has held the qualification for a period of not less than twelve years; and
(i) he either has considerable experience in the Practice of Islamic law, or
(ii) he is a distinguished scholar of Islamic law.
(4) If the office of the Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal is vacant or if the person holding the office is
for any reason unable to perform the functions of the office, then, until a person has been appointed to and has
assumed the functions of that office or until the person holding the office has resumed those functions, the
President shall appoint the most senior Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal to perform those functions.
(5) Except on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, an appointment pursuant to the provisions of
subsection (4) of this section shall cease to have effect after the expiration of three months from the date of such
appointment and the President shall not re-appoint a person whose appointment has lapsed.
262. (1) The Sharia Court of Appeal shall, in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by
an Act of the National Assembly, exercise such appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings
involving questions of Islamic personal law.
(2) For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section, the Sharia Court of Appeal shall be competent to decide (a) any question of Islamic personal law regarding a marriage concluded in accordance with that law, including a
question relating to the validity or dissolution of such a marriage or a question that depends on such a marriage
and relating to family relationship or the guardianship of an infant;