Where the issue of jurisdiction of a court is raised and questioned, especially in a preliminary objection or otherwise, utmost and primal attention must be accorded it before other matters or the substance thereof can be considered. Where the jurisdiction of a court is challenged, the court must first and foremost assume jurisdiction to determine whether it has jurisdiction to hear the case on the merits. Jurisdiction is a crucial issue of competence. It is either the court has jurisdiction to hear a case or it has not. [Ogboru v. Uduaghan (2012) 1 NWLR (Pt.1311) 358 referred to.] (P. 252, paras. B-D).
