Imo Residents Urged To Embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution

Residents of Imo State have been challenged to embrace alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to prevent conflicts from escalating into violence.

This came as the Imo State Community Justice Centre (CJC) pilot project has been handed over to the steering committee for replication in Owerri.

The country representative of the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HIIL), Dr Ijeoma Nwafor, told traditional rulers, security institutions  and government officials that the centre was for the benefit of the people.

Nwafor said the event was more than the transfer of a project, stressing that it was a call on the people of Imo State to become active builders of justice in their communities.

According to her, for many years, access to justice had been perceived as costly, complicated and far removed from ordinary people, but added that the centre had demonstrated that justice becomes more effective when it is brought closer to the people.

“When a dispute over land threatens to divide neighbours, let us choose mediation over confrontation. When conflict simmers within a family, let us choose dialogue before misunderstanding hardens into division. When someone we know is suffering in silence, let us guide them to help—not away from it,” she said.

The HIIL country representative said the CJC had improved justice delivery in the state via the Justice Clinics, the Justice Voice radio programme, outreach activities across the three senatorial zones. She added that community-based mediation initiatives have helped hundreds of residents resolve disputes before they became prolonged conflicts.

She urged communities to strengthen and support local peace and justice structures, traditional and customary mediation systems, and encourage continuous dialogue among community leaders to prevent disputes from escalating.

Nwafor appealed to traditional, religious and government leaders to ensure the Community Justice Centre remains funded, protected and replicated to serve more communities.

The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Community Justice Centre (CJC), Eze Jude Nwaogu, disclosed that the centre handled over 180 justice-related cases within its first year of operation, and successfully resolved about 110 cases through mediation, counselling, referrals and community-based interventions.

Nwaogu, who is the Chidiebube I of Egbelu Obube and Chairman of the Owerri North Council of Traditional Rulers, described the initiative as one of the most significant justice innovations in Imo State’s history.

He said, “Today, the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law formally hands over to us, the Steering Committee, the centre it conceived, nurtured, funded and believed in from the very first idea. And we are hopeful that we will replicate it across the different communities”, he said.

Nwaogu said the project was created to bridge the justice gap by providing accessible information, advice, referrals and mediation services to residents.

He explained that the centre complements existing justice institutions rather than competing with them, with emphasis on preventing disputes before they escalate.

Top of the resolved disputes were land disputes which had the highest number. Others were gender-based violence noting that they formed the state’s most pressing justice challenges.

Nwaogu expressed hopes that in the coming months, the Steering Committee would expand the initiative by strengthening institutional referrals, psychosocial services and collaboration with law enforcement agencies, while extending the centre’s operations to more communities.

Further, he thanked HiiL for the conception of the idea, steering committee members, and all the other stakeholders for supporting the project.

The event was attended by officials of the state Ministry of Justice, women affairs, the Police, the NSCDC, Corrections centre, traditional rulers, and several others.