By Ogar Monday
The Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has earlier this month signed an order expanding the powers of Magistrate Courts in the State to try civil cases.
In the signed document seen by CrossRiverWatch and personally signed by the Governor, the order is to take effect from the 3rd of November 2022.
It reads in parts: “In exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 31(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts Law Cap M1 Laws of Cross River State of Nigeria, 2004, and all the powers enabling in that behalf, I, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, on the recommendation of the Honorable Chief Judge hereby make the following Order:
“This Order may be cited as the Increased Jurisdiction of Magistrates in Civil Matters Order, 2022.
“The maximum monetary limits of the Jurisdiction of Magistrates’ in Cross River State in Civil Matters will be Chief Magistrate Grade One N10,000,000.00, Chief Magistrate Grade Two N7,000,000.00, Senior Magistrate Grade One N5,000,000.00, Senior Magistrate Grade Two N3,000,000.00 and Magistrate Grade One N2,000,000.00.”
The order also states that “Provided that in all actions relating to landlord and tenant, the Claimant may, in addition, claim arrears of rent and mesne(sic) profits irrespective of the fact that the total claim exceeds the amount assigned to the cadre of Magistrate concerned.”