The director of the Niger State Multidoor Court House, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abubakar Gambo, has disclosed that 84 cases were settled by the court through alternative dispute resolution from January to date in the state.
She also said 32 other disputes are pending and in the process of final resolution.
Hajiya Gambo made this known at a seminar organised for 20 alternative dispute resolution officers of the court in Minna.
According to her: “From January to date, we have so far resolved 84 cases of various disputes. We are currently attending to 32 pending cases. A lot is coming in; people are becoming more aware of what we are doing, and they are happy with the process.
“Alternative dispute resolution is better than litigation because it does not delay or follow strict procedures as practised in conventional courts.”
The director further explained that the decision to organise the seminar for the dispute resolution officers was to acquaint them with the requisite knowledge of mediating in commercial disputes brought by people to the multidoor courthouse.
She told the staff: “I urge you all to utilise the knowledge you will get at this seminar towards improving the services of the court to the people of the state.”
Gambo then applauded the commitment of the Niger State Chief Judge, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, to building and enhancing the capacity of judicial staff in the state through training and retraining.