Christian Court To Be Established In Nigeria; bill passes second reading

The House of Reps on Tuesday in Abuja passed a bill to set up the Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal in the country, through a second reading.
The bill is sponsored by Gyang Dung (PDP-Plateau) and eight others.

Presenting the bill during plenary, Mr. Dung said the Ecclesiastical courts, when established, would complement the regular courts in adjudicating in matters relating to the tenets of Christian faith.

This shall be between individuals and groups that yield and submit to its jurisdiction.

Dung stated that the Ecclesiastical court shall exercise such appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings involving questions of Ecclesiastical law and Christian personal law.

The lawmaker said the amendment bill was seeking 14 alterations in sections 6, 84, 185, 240, 246, 247, 288, 289, 292 and 318 of the principal Act.

“It alters the second, third, sixth, and seventh schedule of the principal act. It has four insertions in Part 1G, section 270A-E, Part 2D, Section 285A-E and a citation,’’ Mr. Dung said.

According to him, the amendments will no doubt widen the scope of jurisprudence, adjudication and legal practice in our nation.

“It will bring to reality the administration of Ecclesiastical Christian tenets and law in adjudicating matters of personal Christian law and civil matters.

“These shall be prescribed in the rule of practice and procedure of the Ecclesiastical courts.’’

“It will also entails freedom to propagate one’s religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance,” he added.

NAN reports that Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, referred the bill to the Special ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 constitution.

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