Under military governments local authorities issue bye-laws while state governments issue

Under military governments, local authorities are empowered to issue bye-laws while state governments are empowered to issue edicts. An edict is a type of law or regulation issued by a government authority, particularly in states where the legal system is based on the English common law system. It is usually issued by an executive authority such as a governor or military administrator and has the force of law. In Nigeria, during military regimes, state governments were run by military administrators who had the power to issue edicts that could be used to govern the state. Bye-laws, on the other hand, are regulations or laws made by a local authority or community to regulate the affairs of the community. They are usually more specific than edicts and apply only to the area or community in which they are made.