By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna In a renewed push to curb violent conflicts and decongest courts in Kaduna State, more than 60 st...
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
In a renewed push to curb violent conflicts and decongest courts in Kaduna State, more than 60 stakeholders drawn from the judiciary, civil society, academia, women and faith groups have completed a two-day intermediate training on Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR.
In a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna following the successful completion of the training, Ambassador Yakubu said the programme could not have come at a better time, given the growing need for dialogue and mediation across communities in the state and the country at large.
The capacity-building programme, organised by the German Embassy in Nigeria in partnership with the Interfaith Mediation Centre, IMC, and the Kaduna State Multi-Door Courthouse, KDMDC, brought together participants from the three senatorial zones of the state to strengthen community-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and peaceful coexistence.
Commending the organisers, the Team Leader of the Network of Peace Journalists, NPJ, Ambassador Ibrahima Yakubu, described the initiative as “an important intervention aimed at strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders to prevent conflicts, mediate disputes and promote peaceful coexistence within their communities.”
He listed participants to include representatives of the Public Complaints Commission, International Human Rights Commission, Interfaith Mediation Centre, judges, lawyers, lecturers, women leaders and religious leaders, as well as members of civil society organisations and academia.
According to him, the training exposed participants to practical approaches to understanding conflict dynamics, conflict analysis, personality types and various mechanisms of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
“The knowledge and skills acquired during the programme will enable participants to intervene more effectively in community disputes and prevent minor disagreements from developing into violent conflicts or lengthy court cases,” Ambassador Yakubu stated.
He added that facilitators encouraged participants to establish what he described as “mediation tents” within their communities and workplaces. The concept, he explained, is to create accessible spaces where disputes can be addressed through dialogue and mediation before escalating to litigation.
Ambassador Yakubu praised the German Embassy, IMC and KDMDC for successfully implementing the programme and for ensuring broad representation across Kaduna State.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the importance of strengthening community-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and peaceful dispute resolution, “particularly at a time when communities require greater access to dialogue and mediation.”
The NPJ Team Leader further commended the German Embassy and the Interfaith Mediation Centre for their continued support for peacebuilding initiatives in Nigeria, with special recognition for programmes promoting women’s participation in peacebuilding, human rights and freedom of religious belief.
“Investing in mediation, dialogue and inclusive peacebuilding will help build stronger communities and contribute to sustainable peace and development in Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
The two-day intermediate training is part of ongoing efforts by the German Embassy, IMC and KDMDC to expand access to justice and promote non-violent means of resolving disputes at the grassroots level across Kaduna State..
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