The Cross River State Customary Court of Appeal was established by Law No. 9 of 2014 and assented to by the governor, His Excellency Senator Liyel Imoke on the 30th of December 2014.
The law conferred on the court, appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings involving questions of customary law. The law was further amended in 2022 by Senator Prof Ben Ayade to give the Customary Court of Appeal original jurisdiction in respect of chieftaincy matters and all claims to royal lands, royal stools, insignia etc, and succession to properties and inheritance under customary law where the value of the property claimed exceeds one million naira.
Even though the court came into being in 2014, it was only in 2021 when the Honourable Chief Judge Justice Akon B Ikpeme renovated the premises of the Old Court of Appeal for the use of the court. Hitherto it was abandoned after the fire that ravaged the premises many years prior. This paved way for the swearing in of judges for the court on the 11th of January 2022. At this time, Bernard O. Otaba Esq. was Acting Chief Registrar. The pioneer set of judges were as follows:
- Honourable Justice Maurice Odey Eneji President
- Honourable Justice Agbor Anthony Obo
- Honourable Justice Felix Igobi Ititim
- Honourable Justice Eunice Oshim Dada
- Honourable Justice Ankpor Jeremiah Arong
Honourable Justice Eneji retired on the 19th of March 2022 and his successor, Honourable Justice Sampson Mbeh Anjor was sworn in first as Acting President on the 14th of April 2022 and sworn in as substantive President on the 8th of July 2022. In January 2023 Nkechi Y. Usani Esq was appointed the first substantive Chief Registrar of the Customary Court of Appeal.
The customary court of appeal has the added responsibility for the 103 district courts across the state. The district courts (also known as customary courts) are constituted by one president and 2 members who come from and are versed in the laws of the area of their courts. They serve for a term of three years which may be renewed by a term of another three years.
The customary courts in Cross River State are as follows:
SOUTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT
AKAMKPA LGA
- Achan District Court
- Iko Essai District Court
- Iko Ekperem
- Ikpai
- Netim
- Oban
- Uyanga
AKPABUYO LGA
- Akwa Ikot Effanga
- Atimbo
- Ikot Edem Odo
- Ikot Ene
- Ikot Nakanda
BAKASSI LGA
- Ikang
BIASE LGA
- Abanyong
- Akpet
- Ehom
- Ugbaghara
- Umon
CALABAR MUNICIPALITY LGA
- Akai Effa
- Akin
- Ishie
CALABAR SOUTH LGA
- Calabar
- Efut
ODUKPANI LGA
- Akim- Akim
- Atan Onoyom
- Creek Town
- Eki
- Ekim Uyi
- Etehentem
- Ibom Itiat
- Obot Ediong
- Okoyong
- Ukwa
CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT
- ABI LGA
- Adadama
- Akarefor
- Ebom
- Ediba
- Ekureku
- Igbo Imabana
- Itigidi
- Usumutong
BOKI LGA
- Abo
- Boje
- Eastern Boki
- Irruan
- Osokom I
- Osokom II
- Kwakwagom
- Wula
ETUNG LGA
- Northern Etung
- Southern Etung
IKOM LGA
- Abanyom Nnam
- Akparabong
- Nde Nkum
- Nta Nselle
- Ofutop
- Olulumo
OBUBRA LGA
- Adun
- Araragha
- Iyamitet
- Obubra Urban
- Ofumbongha
- Ogurude
- Okum
YAKURR LGA
- Agoi Ekpo/Ekom Agoi
- Ekori/ Assiga
- Idomi/Agoi Inam/Itu Agoi
- Mkpani
- Nko/Inyima
- Ugep
NORTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT
BEKWARRA LGA
- Afrike
- Bekwarra
- Ukpa
OBUDU LGA
- Angiaba Begiaka
- Alege
- Bette
- Begiading
- Ipong
- Ubang
- Ukpe
- Utugwang
OBANLIKU LGA
- Becheve
- Bendi
- Sankwala
- Utanga
OGOJA LGA
- Eastern Ekajuk
- Ekajuk
- Ishibori
- Ndok
- Nkim
- Nkum
- Nkum East
- Nkum Iborr
- Mbube East
- Mbube West
YALA LGA
- Ezekwe
- Gabu
- Northern Ukelle
- Okuku
- Okpoma
- Southern Ukelle
- Wanihem
- Yache
