Institute Hands Over Community Justice Centres To Kaduna Govt

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) has handed over the Kad-Adalci Pilot Community Justice Centres to the Kaduna State government, with the stakeholders saying the initiative would improve access to fair, affordable and timely dispute resolution.

The ceremony held yesterday at the Justice Muhammadu Bello Bar Centre, Kaduna, brought together government agencies, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations and other justice-sector stakeholders.

At the event, Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court said the initiative represented an important shift in the way justice was delivered, stressing that justice must be centered on the problems and needs of the people.

“Today is more than a formal handover. It is an important step in the way we think about and provide justice in Kaduna State,” she said.
Justice Bello explained that not every dispute needed to begin in court, noting that issues involving families, neighbours or small businesses could often be resolved through mediation, negotiation or referrals to the appropriate government agency.

She said the question, “Where can I go for help?” was at the heart of Kad-Adalci, adding that the Community Justice Centres would provide citizens with a first point of contact where they could explain their problems, understand their options and receive guidance on the appropriate course of action.

Justice Bello stressed that Kad-Adalci was not a replacement for the courts but a mechanism designed to support the formal justice system by resolving suitable disputes before they became complex litigation.

She added that information gathered through the centres could help the judiciary and government understand recurring community disputes, identify emerging problems and make better decisions about the allocation of justice-sector resources.

Earlier in his remarks, the Kaduna State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sir James Kanyip, described access to justice as a fundamental right that should be available to every citizen.

“Access to justice is not a privilege reserved for the few who can navigate our courts with ease. It is a fundamental right that must reach every community, every household, and every citizen, regardless of status or location,” Kanyip said.

He said Kad-Adalci was conceived through collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations, traditional and religious institutions and other stakeholders, in line with the justice reform agenda of Governor Uba Sani.

Kanyip commended HiiL for its partnership and investment in the pilot, saying what started as an effort to strengthen referral pathways and community awareness had developed into a promising model for Kaduna State.

The Attorney-General assured that the Kaduna State Government would continue to support justice-sector reforms and work with the judiciary and other agencies to strengthen the initiative, sustain its structures and potentially expand it across the state.

On her part, HiiL Country Representative in Nigeria, Ijeoma Nwafor, described the handover as more than the transfer of a project, calling on residents to actively support justice initiatives within their communities.

Nwafor urged residents to embrace mediation, dialogue and early intervention in resolving disputes, while encouraging traditional rulers, lawyers, mediators, community leaders and other stakeholders to support the centres.

The three pilot community justice centres are located in Tudun Wada, Kafanchan and Zaria, representing Kaduna Central, Kaduna South and Kaduna North Senatorial Districts respectively.