Inter-tribal Boundaries Settlement Law

INTER-TRIBAL BOUNDARIES SETTLEMENT LAW

1. Citation. This Law may be cited as the Inter-tribal Boundaries Settlement Law.

2. Interpretation. In this Law - “tribe” includes a sub-tribe, clan of a tribe, an ethnic or administrative unit or othersimilar community, and the inhabitants of a village.

3. Power to determine inter-tribal boundary. Any Chairman of a local government area may, with the approval of the Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Local Government inquire into and decide any dispute between two or more tribes as to the boundaries between the lands of such tribes.

4. Inquiry with assessors. In any inquiry under the last preceding section, the Chairman of a local government area may, if he thinks fit, be assisted by such one or more persons as he may select as assessors, whom he may summon as occasion requires. The opinion of each assessor shall be given orally and shall be recorded in writing by the Chairman of a local government area, but the decision shall rest exclusively with the Chairman of a local government area and no settlement shall be deemed invalid if any, or all, ofthe assessors so summoned shall not be present throughout the whole ofthe inquiry.

5. Legal practitioner may appear. A legal practitioner may appear or act for or assist any party in any inquiry held under this Law.

6. Power of Governor to review. The Governor may, if he thinks fit, review the proceedings of any inquiry held under any of the preceding sections and may, in his discretion, affirm, set aside, or vary any decision given thereunder, either in the first instance or on review, or may order any Chairman of a local government area to hold a further inquiry.

7. Application of section 4 to section 6. The provisions ofsection 4 shall apply to any further inquiry held under section 6.

8. Power to summon witnesses. For the purposes of any inquiry under this Law the Chairman of a local government area shall have all the powers of a Magistrate in cpnnection with any civil cause in respect of enforcing the attendance of witnesses and compelling the production of documents.

9. Registration of settlements. Any decision or order given on any inquiry under this Law shall be recorded in writing and shall be signed by the officer giving the same, and shall be registered and preserved by the Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Local Government.

10. Penalties. Any person who acts in disregard or defiance of any decision which may be in force under this Law or, without due authority, removes, damages or defaces any boundary or other mark erected during the course and for the purposes of any inquiry under this Law or erected in connection with any decision or order given under this Law, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of ten thousand naira or to imprisonment for six months or to both.