Section 253 Child’s Right Act

Section 253 Child’s Right Act 2003 is about Visitors and visiting committees. It is under Part XXII (Approved Institutions and Post‐Release Supervision) of the Act.

(1) The Minister or the Minister of Internal Affairs, as the case may be, may, by notice in the Gazette appoint such persons as he may think fit to be visitors in relation to such approved institutions as may be specified in the notice.

(2) In addition to persons appointed under subsection (1) of this section, the following persons shall be ex‐officio visitors to all approved children institutions‐
(a) the President and the Justice of the Court of Appeal;
(b) the Chief Judge of the State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as the case may be;
(c) Judges of the Court at the High Court level; and
(d) members of the Court at the Magisterial level.

(3) The Minister may, where necessary, by notice in the Gazette, appoint such number of visitors to constitute a visiting committee in relation to such approved institutions as may be specified in the notice without prejudice to the general right of visitation on the part of .other visitors.

(4) Visitors and visiting committees shall perform such functions and duties in relation to approved institutions as may be prescribed.

(5) The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, delegate the powers conferred by this section to appoint visitors, and visiting committees in respect of Federal approved institutions in a State to the appropriate Commissioner of State.

(6) The provisions of this section which give the Minister power to appoint persons as visitors shall not come into operation in respect of a State until the Minister has signified in the Gazette the consent of the Governor of the State to the appointment.