Section 256: Application.

1 This Act shall apply to all judicial proceeding in or before any court established in the Federal Republic of Nigeria but it shall not apply to-
a proceeding before an arbitrator;
b a field general court martial; or
c judicial proceeding in any civil cause or matter in or befoy Sharia Court of Appeal Customary Court of Appeal, Area Court or Customary Court, unless any authority empowered to do so under the Constitution, by order published in the Gazette, confers upon any or all Sharia Courts of Appeal, Customary Courts of Appeal, Area Courts or Customary Courts in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or a State, as the case may be, power to enforce any of all the provisions of this Act.

2 In judicial proceeding in any criminal cause of matter, in or before an Area Court, the court shall be guided by the provisions of this Act and in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code Law.

3 Notwithstanding anything in this section, an Area Court shall, in judicial proceeding in any criminal cause or matter be bound by the provisions of sections 134 to 140.