"Federal offence" means an offence contrary to the provisions of Act of the National Assembly or any law
having effect as if so enacted.
287. (1) The decisions of the Supreme court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and
persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the supreme Court.
(2) The decisions of the Court of Appeal shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and
persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the court of Appeal.
(3) The decisions of the Federal High Court, a High Court and of all other courts established by this Constitution
shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by other courts of law with
subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Federal High Court, a High Court and those other courts, respectively.
288. (1) In exercising his powers under the foregoing provisions of this Chapter in respect of appointments to the
offices of Justices of the Supreme court and Justices of the Court of Appeal, the President shall have regard to
the need to ensure that there are among the holders of such offices persons learned in Islamic personal law and
persons learned in Customary law.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section (a) a person shall be deemed to be learned in Islamic personal law if he is a legal practitioner in Nigeria and has
been so qualified for a period of not less than fifteen years in the case of a Justice of the Supreme Court or not
less than twelve years in the case of a Justice of the Court of Appeal and has in either case obtained a recognized
qualification in Islamic law from an institution acceptable to the national Judicial Council; and
(b) a person shall be deemed to be learned in Customary law if he is a legal practitioner in Nigeria and has been
so qualified for a period of not less than fifteen years in the case of a Justice of the Supreme Court or not less
than twelve years in the case of a Justice of the Court of Appeal and has in either case and in the opinion of the
National Judicial Council considerable knowledge of and experience in the practice of Customary law.
289. No legal practitioner shall be qualified for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court, the Court of
Appeal or a Judge of a Federal High Court or a Judge of a High Court or a kadi of a Sharia Court of Appeal or a
Judge of the Customary Court of Appeal whilst he is a member of the National Judicial Council or Committee of
the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or a State Judicial Service Commission, and he shall remain so disqualified
until a period of three years has elapsed since he ceased to be member.
290. (1) A person appointed to any judicial office shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he
has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed under this Constitution and has subsequently taken and
subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and the Judicial Oath prescribed in the seventh Schedule to this Constitution.
(2) The oaths aforesaid shall be administered by the person for the time being authorized by law to administer
such oaths.
291. (1) A judicial officer appointed to the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal may retire when he attains the
age of sixty-five years and he shall cease to hold office when he attains the age of seventy years.
(2) A judicial officer appointed to any other court, other than those specified in subsection (1) of this section may
retire when he attains the age of sixty years and he shall cease to hold office when he attains the age of sixty-five
years.
(3) Any person who has held office as a judicial officer (a) for a period of not less than fifteen years shall, if he retires at or after the age of sixty-five years in the case of
the Chief Justice of Nigeria, a Justice of the Supreme Court, the President of the court of Appeal or a Justice of
the Court of Appeal or at or after the age of sixty years in any other case, be entitled to pension for life at a rate
equivalent to his last annual salary and all his allowances in addition to any other retirement benefits to which he
may be entitled;
(b) for a period of less than fifteen years shall, if he retires at or after the age of sixty-five years or sixty years, as
the case may be, be entitled to pension for life at a rate as in paragraph (a) of this subsection pro rata the number
of years he served as a judicial officer in relation to the period of fifteen years, and all his allowances in addition
to other retirement benefits to which he may be entitled under his terms and conditions of service; and
(c) in any case, shall be entitled to such pension and other retirement benefits as may be regulated by an Act o
the National Assembly or by a Law of a House of Assembly of a State.