The Legal Elements of an Offence

The general effect of criminal law is to forbid the commission of certain conducts, by creating offenses which could be of commission or omission. In Nigeria, the Criminal Code defines an offense as an act or omission which is rendered punishable under the code or other legislative enactment. But the mere commission of an act or the bringing about of a state of affairs that the law forbids is not enough to constitute an offense. It is generally required that some element of wrongful intent or other fault must exist.