The Kaduna State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, James Kanyip, has described alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as a crucial part of Nigeria’s legal system, saying it provides quicker, more affordable and effective ways of settling disputes.
Mr Kanyip made the remarks on Monday while declaring open the 2026 Kaduna Multi-Door Courthouse (KDMDC) Settlement Week in Kaduna. The event, themed “Justice for Everyone, Peace Everywhere,” attracted judges, lawyers, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and other stakeholders in the justice sector.
According to the commissioner, ADR has become increasingly important because many people seek justice through processes that are faster, confidential and less expensive than conventional court proceedings.
He noted that ADR allows parties to choose dispute resolution methods that best suit their circumstances while avoiding the cost and delays associated with lengthy litigation.
Mr Kanyip said the Federal Government had strengthened ADR through the Arbitration and Mediation Act, while Kaduna State established the Kaduna Multi-Door Courthouse to institutionalise the practice.
He disclosed that the state government is proposing a new law to replace the current KDMDC legislation, with provisions that reflect modern realities and international best practices.
The proposed legislation, he explained, would expand access to justice by recognising mediation, arbitration, conciliation, restorative justice, trauma healing and counselling as formal dispute resolution options.
He added that the new law would also empower the courthouse to receive referrals from courts and public institutions, maintain a register of accredited ADR practitioners, increase public awareness and provide training for relevant stakeholders.
According to him, the reforms are intended to reduce case backlogs, ease congestion in courts and encourage amicable settlement of disputes.
He urged judges, lawyers and litigants to embrace ADR as an effective tool for resolving conflicts while preserving relationships and promoting peaceful coexistence.
Also speaking, the Chief Judge of Kaduna State, Justice Muhammad Aliyu, described the Kaduna Multi-Door Courthouse as an important institution in the state’s justice delivery system.
Declaring the settlement week open, he said the successful resolution of hundreds of disputes through ADR demonstrated growing public confidence in the mechanism.
Justice Aliyu noted that the annual settlement week provides litigants with an opportunity to resolve disputes through dialogue in a structured and professionally guided environment.
He stressed that choosing dialogue and mutual understanding reflects wisdom rather than weakness and encouraged judges, magistrates and legal practitioners to refer suitable cases to the Kaduna Multi-Door Courthouse.
In her welcome address, the Director of KDMDC, Justice Dorcas Daniel, said the annual programme was designed to improve access to justice by offering litigants a faster, confidential and cost-effective dispute resolution platform.
She said the courthouse recorded significant achievements over the past year, including the amicable settlement of hundreds of cases, expansion of its panel of mediators, capacity building for judicial officers and stronger collaboration with justice sector institutions.
Justice Daniel added that the courthouse had intensified public sensitisation across the Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan senatorial zones while incorporating restorative justice, trauma healing and gender-responsive mediation into its operations.
According to her, these initiatives have boosted public confidence in ADR and contributed to the peaceful resolution of family, commercial, tenancy, inheritance and community-related disputes across Kaduna State.
The event was attended by judges of the Kaduna State High Court, magistrates, members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), traditional and religious leaders, representatives of development partners and other stakeholders in the justice sector.
(NAN)
ADR Vital to Nigeria’s Justice System, Says Kaduna Attorney-General
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