Criminal Procedure Act Chapter 80
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990
Part 49
Inquiries by Direction of Attorney-General
453 Where a sworn information is made before any magistrate that an offence against a law of the State has been committed, the Attorney-General of the State may, whether or not any known person be charged with the commission of the offence, direct any magistrate to hold an inquiry under this Part of this Act and may, if he thinks fit, direct that such inquiry be held in camera.
454 The officer so directed shall then examine on oath concerning such offence any person whom he has reason to believe to be able to give material evidence concerning it, other than a person confessing himself to be the offender, and shall take the deposition of such witness and, material evidence concerning it, other than a person confessing himself to be the offender, and shall take the deposition of such witness and,
if he sees cause, bind such witness by his own recognisance to appear and give evidence at any place where, and at any time when, he may be called upon to do so.
455 At the conclusion of an inquiry under this Part of this Act the said officer shall forward to the Attorney-General of the State the original depositions and recognisances of the witnesses together with his report upon the proceedings, and shall state in such report his opinion as to the persons implicated in the commission of such offence.
456The provisions contained in this Act relating to summoning witnesses, and to compelling their attendance and to their examination on oath, and to binding them over to give evidence, shall apply for the purposes of an inquiry under this Part of this Act.
457 If a person is put upon his trial for an offence respecting which an inquiry under this Part of this Act has been held, he shall, if he so request, be supplied free of charge, at least three days before such trial, with an authenticated copy of all depositions taken at such inquiry.
458 A witness examined at such inquiry shall not to be excused from answering any question on the ground that the answer thereto may incriminate or tend to incriminate him but any confession or answer by a person to a question put at such examination shall not, except in the case of any criminal proceeding for perjury committed at or after the holding of such inquiry, be in any proceeding admissible in evidence against him.
458A The provisions of this Part of this Act shall apply in relation to an offence against a Federal law as they apply in relation to an offence against a Law of the State but as if references to the Attorney-General of the State were references to the Attorney-General of the Federation.
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