Section 467 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria. Punishment of forgery in general

Any person who forges any document, writing, or seal, is guilty of an offence which, unless otherwise stated, is a felony, and he is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for three years.

Punishment in special cases

Public seals, etc.

(1) If the thing forged‐

[L.N. 112 of 1964, 1976 No. 27.]

(a) purports to be, or is intended by the offender to be understood to be, or to be used as, the public seal of Nigeria or of any State of Nigeria or the great or privy seal of any country of the Commonwealth or under the protection of a Commonwealth country, or the seal of the President, or a Governor of a State; or

(b) is a document having on it or affixed to it any such seal, signet, or sign manual, or anything which purports to be, or is intended by the offender to be understood to be, any such seal, signet, or sign manual,

the offender is liable to imprisonment for life.

Securities, titles, register, etc.

(2) If the thing forged purports to be, or is intended by the offender to be understood to be or to be used as, any of the following things‐

(a) a document which is evidence of title to any portion of the public debt of Nigeria or of any State thereof or of any other country, or to any dividend or interest payable in respect of any such debt, or a transfer or assignment of any such document, or a receipt or certificate for any interest or money payable or accruing on or in respect of any such public debt;

(b) a transfer or assignment of a share in any corporation, company, or society, whether domestic or foreign, or of any share or interest in the capital stock of any such corporation, company, or society, or in the debt of any such corporation, company or society, or a receipt or certificate for any interest or money payable or accruing on or in respect of any such share, interest, or debt;

(c) a document acknowledging or being evidence of the indebtedness of the Government of Nigeria or of the government of any other country;

(d) a document which by the law of Nigeria, or any other country is evidence of the title to any land or estate in land in Nigeria or that other country, or an entry in any register or book which is such evidence;

(e) a document which by law is required for procuring the registration of any title to any land or estate in land;

(f) a testamentary instrument, whether the testator is living or dead, or a probate or letters of administration, whether with or without a will annexed;

(g) a bank note, bill of exchange, or promissory note, or an acceptance, endorsement, or assignment, of either;

(h) a deed, bond, or writing obligatory, or a draft, warrant, order, or other security for the payment of money, or for the delivery or transfer of a valuable security, or for procuring or giving credit, whether negotiable or not, or an endorsement or assignment of any such document;

(i) an accountable receipt, or an acknowledgement of the deposit, receipt, payment or delivery, of money or goods, or of any valuable security, or an endorsement or assignment of any such document;

(j) a bill of lading, dock warrant, warehouse keeper's certificate, warrant, or order for the delivery of goods, or any other document used in the ordinary course of business as proof of possession or control of goods, or as authorising, or purporting to authorise, either by endorsement or by delivery, the possessor of the document to transfer or receive the goods represented by the document, or an endorsement or assignment of any such document;

(k) a charter party, or a shipping document accompanying a bill of lading, or an endorsement or assignment of either;

(I) a policy of insurance of any kind;

(m) a power of attorney or other authority to execute any such document as is mentioned in this section of this Code;

(n) the signature of a witness to any of the documents mentioned in this section to which attestation is by law required;

(o) a register of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, or burials, authorised or required by law to be kept, or any entry in any such register;

(p) a copy of any such register or entry as last aforesaid, which is authorised or required by law to be given or sent to or by any person;

(q) a seal by a registrar appointed to keep any such register as is hereinbefore mentioned, or the impression of any such seal, or the signature of any such registrar,

the offender is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.

Documents relating to revenue and acts of States, etc.

(3) If the thing forged purports to be, or is intended by the offender to be understood to be or to be used as, any of the following things‐

[L.N. 112 of 1964. 1967 No. 27.]

(a) the signature of the President or a Governor of a State or of a Minister, or a commissioner, as the case may be, upon any grant, commission, warrant, or order;

(b) a seal or stamp used for the purpose of the public revenue in Nigeria or in any other country;

(c) a document relating to the obtaining or receiving of any money payable on account of the public service of Nigeria, or any other property of the State in any country, or a power of attorney or other authority to execute any such document,

the offender is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.

Courts seals, records, process, evidence, etc.

(4) If the thing forged purports to be, or is intended by the offender to be, understood to be or to be used as, any of the following things‐

[L. N. 112 of 1964.]

(a) the seal of a court of record in any part of a country of the Commonwealth or of a country under the protection of a Commonwealth country, or a seal used at the chambers of a Justice of the Supreme Court or a Judge of a High Court for stamping or sealing summonses or orders;

(b) a seal or signature by virtue whereof any document can by law be used as evidence;

(c) any process of any court of justice in any part of a country of the Commonwealth or of a country under the protection of a Commonwealth country;

(d) a document issued or made by or out of or by the authority of any such court as last aforesaid;

(e) a document or copy of a document of any kind, which document or copy is intended by the offender to be used as evidence in any such court as last aforesaid;

(f) a record or other document of or belonging to a court of record in any part of a country of the Commonwealth or of a country under the protection of a Commonwealth country;

(g) a copy or certificate of any record of any such court as last aforesaid;

(h) an instrument, whether written or printed, partly written and partly printed, which is made evidence by any Act, law, statute, or order, in force in Nigeria;

(i) a document which a judicial officer is required or authorised by law to make, attest, or issue, and purporting to be made, attested, or issued by a judicial officer;

(f) a stamp used for denoting the payment of fees or percentages in any court;

(k) a licence or certificate required or authorised by law to be given for the celebration of a marriage;

(I) a consent to the marriage of a minor given by a person authorised by law to give it;

(m) a certificate of marriage given under the provisions of the laws relating to the solemnisation of marriage;

(n) a copy of the registration of a marriage;

(o) a stamp issued or made under the laws relating to the post office;

(p) a power of attorney or a letter of attorney;

(q) the signature of a witness to a power of attorney or letter of attorney;

(r) the superscription of any postal matter by any person empowered under any enactment to frank postal matter;

(s) a contract or a writing which with other writings constitutes a contract or is evidence of a contract;

(t) an authority or request for the payment of money or for the delivery of property;

(u) an acquaintance or discharge or a voucher of having received any property, or any document which is evidence of the receipt of any property;

(v) any mark which under the authority of any Act, law, statute, or order, is impressed upon or otherwise attached to or connected with any article for the purpose of denoting the quality of the article or the fact that it has been examined or approved by or under the authority of some public body or public officer,

the offender is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

Telegrams

(5) If the thing forged purports to be, or is intended by the offender to be understood to be or to be used as, a message to be sent by telegraph, or a message received by telegraph, the offender is liable to the same punishment as if he had forged a document to the same effect as the message.

Section 467 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria

Act structure