Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has set aside the Federal High Court's judgement that restrained the federal government from further registering marriages under the Marriage Act, Cap. M6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004 within some local government areas. The appellate court ruled that both the federal government and local government councils have the legal authority to celebrate, contract, and register marriages between prospective couples. The court held that not one organ of government had the exclusive preserve of contracting and celebrating marriages between prospective couples. The lower court imposed a restriction directing the Ministry of Interior to only conduct, celebrate, and contract marriages in marriage registries in Ikoyi, Lagos, and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which was deemed wrong. The appellate court also retrained the Minister of Interior from further registering marriages contracted or celebrated under the Marriage Act, Cap. M6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, within the plaintiffs' local government councils area.