Section 508-521 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Section 508 to 521 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act is under Chapter 53 (Attempts, incitements, and preparations to commit offences – Neglect to prevent commission of felony), Chapter 54 (Conspiracy), and Chapter 55 (Accessories after the fact) of the code.
Chapter 53 (Attempts, incitements, and preparations to commit offences – Neglect to prevent commission of felony)
Section 508 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Attempts to commit offences
Any person who attempts to commit a felony or misdemeanor, is guilty of an offence which, unless
otherwise stated, is a misdemeanor.
Section 509 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Punishment of attempts to commit felonies
Any person who attempts to commit a felony of such a kind that a person convicted of it is liable to the
punishment of death or of imprisonment for a term of fourteen years or upwards, with or without other
punishment, is guilty of a felony and is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for
seven years.
Any person who attempts to commit a felony of any other kind is liable, if no other punishment is
provided, to a punishment equal to one half of the greatest punishment to which an offender convicted
of the felony which he attempted to commit is liable.
Section 510 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Punishment of attempts to commit misdemeanours
Any person who attempts to commit a misdemeanor is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to a
punishment equal to one half of the greatest punishment to which an offender convicted of the offence
which he attempted to commit is liable.
Section 511 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Punishment of attempts to commit simple offences
Any person who attempts to commit a simple offence is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to
one half of the greatest punishment to which an offender convicted of the offence which he attempted
to commit is liable.
Section 512 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Reduction of punishment
When a person is convicted of attempting to commit an offence, if it is proved that he desisted of his
own motion from the further prosecution of his intention, without its fulfilment being prevented by
circumstances independent of will, he is liable to one half only of the punishment of which he would
otherwise be liable. If that punishment is imprisonment for life, the greatest punishment to which he is
liable is imprisonment for seven years.
Section 513 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Attempts to procure commission of criminal acts
(1) Any person who attempts to procure another to do an act or make an omission of such a
nature that if he himself were to do the act or make the omission he would be guilty of an offence, is
himself to be deemed guilty of attempting to commit such offence and to be punishable accordingly.
(2) Any person who while in Nigeria attempts to procure another to do an act or make an
omission at a place not in Nigeria of such a nature‐
(a) that if he were himself to do the act or make the omission in Nigeria he would be guilty of an
offence; and
(b) that if he were himself to do the act or make the omission at the place where the act or
omission is proposed to be done or made, he would himself be guilty of an offence under
the laws in force at that place,
is guilty of an offence of the same kind and is liable to the same punishment as if he were himself to
attempt to do the same act or make the same omission in Nigeria.
Section 514 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Preparation to commit crimes with explosives, etc.
Any person who makes or knowingly has in his possession any explosive substance, or any dangerous or
noxious engine, instrument, or thing whatever, with intent by means thereof to commit, or for the
purpose of enabling any other person by means thereof to commit any felony, is guilty of a felony and is
liable to imprisonment for three years.
Section 515 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Neglect to prevent felony
Every person who, knowing that a person designs to commit or is committing a felony, fails to use all
reasonable means to prevent the commission or completion thereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor and is
liable to imprisonment for two years.
CHAPTER 54 – Conspiracy
Section 516 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Conspiracy to commit felony
Any person who conspires with another to commit any felony, or to do any act in any part of the world
which if done in Nigeria would be a felony, and which is an offence under the laws in force in the place
where it is proposed to be done, is guilty of a felony and is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to
imprisonment for seven years, or, if the greatest punishment to which a person convicted of the felony
in question is liable is less than imprisonment for seven years, then to such lesser punishment.
Section 516A of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Conspiracy to commit felony against law of a State
(1) Any person who while in a State conspires with another to do any act not in the State which
if done in the State would be a felony against the law of the State and which is an offence against the
law of the place where it is proposed to be done, is guilty of a felony and is liable, if no other
punishment is provided, to imprisonment for seven years, or, if the greatest punishment to which a
person convicted of the felony in question is liable is less than imprisonment for seven years, then to
such lesser punishment.
(2) In this section and section 517 A of this Code, “law of a State” has the meaning assigned to it
in section l0A of this Code.
Section 517 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Conspiracy to commit offence
Any person who conspires with another to commit any offence which is not a felony, or to do any act in
any part of the world, which if done in Nigeria would be an offence but not a felony, and which is an
offence under the laws in force in the place where it is proposed to be done, is guilty of a misdemeanor
and is liable to imprisonment for two years.
The offender cannot be arrested without warrant.
Section 518 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Other conspiracies
Any person who conspires with another to effect any of the following purposes
[L.N. 112 of 1964.]
(1) to prevent or defeat the execution or enforcement of any Act, law, statute, or order; or
(2) to cause any injury to the person or reputation of any person, or to depreciate the value of
any property of any person; or
(3) to prevent or obstruct the free and lawful disposition of any property by the owner thereof
for its fair value; or
(4) to injure any person in his trade or profession; or
(5) to prevent or obstruct, by means of any act or acts which if done by an individual person
would constitute an offence on his part, the free and lawful exercise by any person of his trade,
profession, or occupation; or
(6) to effect any unlawful purpose; or
(7) to effect any lawful purpose by any unlawful means,
is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for two years.
An offender cannot be arrested without warrant.
Section 518A of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Conspiracy in trade dispute
(1) The provisions of sections 516, 517 and 518 of this Code shall not apply to an agreement or
combination of two or more persons to do or procure to be done any act in contemplation or
furtherance of a trade dispute if such act committed by one person would not be punishable as an
offence:
Provided that nothing in this section shall exempt from punishment any person guilty of a conspiracy for
which a punishment is provided by any other enactment:
And provided further that nothing in this section shall affect the law relating to riot, unlawful
assembly, breach of the peace, or sedition, or any offence against the State.
[L.N. 112 of 1964.]
(2) For the purposes of this section‐
“offence” does not include an offence punishable only by a fine; and “trade dispute” has the same
meaning as in the Trade Unions Act.
CHAPTER 55 – Accessories after the fact
Section 519 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Accessories after the fact to felonies
Any person who becomes an accessory after the fact to a felony is guilty of a felony and is liable, if no
other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for two years.
Section 520 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Accessories after the fact to misdemeanours
Any person who becomes an accessory after the fact to a misdemeanor, is guilty of a misdemeanor and
is liable to a punishment equal to one half of the greatest punishment to which the principal offender is
liable on conviction.
Section 521 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act
Accessories after the fact to simple offences
Any person who becomes an accessory after the fact to a simple offence, is guilty of a simple offence
and is liable to a punishment equal to one half of the greatest punishment to which the
principal offender is liable on conviction.
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