Section 17: Where a Notary Public refuses to act

(1) In any case where the circumstance appears to the Notary Public to be less than credible or suspicious, the Notary Public may refuse to act.
(2) A person aggrieved by the refusal may apply to a Judge of the High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for an order calling upon the Notary Public to act in the execution of his office:Provided that before applying for the order, the person shall cause reasonable notice of the application to be given to the Notary Public and to such person in Nigeria, if any, as may be interested in the subject of the protest or other notarial act demanded.
(3) On receipt of an application, the Judge to whom the application is being made may require the Notary Public refusing to act either to record in writing his reasons for so refusing to act or to attend in person and give his reasons and any other person who is interested shall be entitled to be heard by the Judge.
(4) The High Court to which an application may be made under this section shall be the High Court having jurisdiction in that part of the Federation where the refusal in respect of which the application is made took place.
(5) The Chief Judge of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja may make rules for regulating the practice in respect of appeals under this section