The Zamfara State House of Assembly has pledged to expedite the passage of its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bill after a strategic peer learning visit to Lagos and Kaduna States, where lawmakers observed how Multi-Door Courthouses have successfully transformed justice delivery.
The visit, facilitated by International Alert Nigeria under the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria Programme (SPRiNG), brought together legislators, justice sector actors, and community leaders to explore homegrown solutions to Nigeria’s long-standing challenge of access to justice.
The speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Ismail, explained that the visit was crucial to learning best practices. He said their goal is to get it right, which is why they visited states with similar agencies to learn from their experience and adopt best practices.
“With what we saw in Kaduna and Lagos, we are convinced that ADR is the future of justice delivery in Zamfara. The lessons will help us review the bill before us and make the necessary adjustments to improve the well-being of our people.
“Nigeria’s conventional courts are widely seen as overburdened, costly, and time-consuming. In contrast, ADR mechanisms in Lagos and Kaduna have reduced case backlogs, cut litigation costs, restored public trust, and fostered social cohesion.” Zamfara lawmakers said they intend to replicate these gains by establishing a state ADR Centre once the bill is passed.
Kingsley Udo, Country Director of International Alert Nigeria, praised the lawmakers’ decision to learn from local solutions rather than seeking foreign models. He said: “As a Nigerian, I am proud that Zamfara did not go abroad but came to Lagos and Kaduna, where ADR systems are already transforming access to justice.
“Justice is not a privilege but a right; when denied, grievances fester and conflict escalates. By imbibing these trailblazing models, Zamfara can restore peace, justice, and progress to its communities.
“Zamfara’s ADR system, once established, could serve as a model for other states just as Lagos has done. International Alert, which has been working in Nigeria since 2011 to promote social cohesion and conflict prevention, pledged to continue supporting states in building inclusive and conflict-sensitive justice systems. Zamfara legislators, led by Speaker Ismail and 12 other members, reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the speedy passage of the ADR Bill.
They also promised to hold a public hearing in Gusau as soon as they return, signaling their determination to end judicial delays and bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder citizens’ access to justice.
On his part, the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Musa Garba, remarked that the move is seen as a rescue agenda, given the importance and need to decongest the court process through speedy access to justice.
Earlier, when they visited the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, Mrs Olubusola Ono, the registrar of Multi-door Courthouse, explained to them the activities of the LMDC and how the cases were being referred from the registry unit and their responsibility of screening cases to confirm suitability for ADR (mediation, arbitration and neutral evaluation.
