JUDICIAL REFORM AND THE RESTORATION OF JUSTICE IN KADUNA STATE UNDER UBA SANI
By
Barrister Muhammad Kabir Uthman
Secretary Fiscal Responsibility commission Kaduna state.
Introduction
A strong judiciary is one of the foundations of a democratic society. It protects constitutional rights, resolves disputes, interprets the law and provides citizens with confidence that grievances can be addressed through lawful institutions rather than through violence or self-help.
When Senator Uba Sani assumed office as Governor of Kaduna State in May 2023, the challenge before the administration was therefore broader than the construction or renovation of court buildings. The task was to strengthen the entire justice ecosystem: court infrastructure, judicial administration, staff welfare, access to justice, technological capacity, professional development and public confidence in the rule of law.
Governor Uba Sani has consequently presented judicial reform as an important component of his administration’s governance philosophy. In May 2026, while commissioning the Justice Muhammadu Bello Bar Centre in Kaduna, he stated that his administration remained committed to strengthening judicial infrastructure, institutional capacity, access to justice and professional excellence within the legal sector.
This chapter examines those interventions and assesses their significance to the restoration and strengthening of justice administration in Kaduna State.
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- The Judiciary as a Pillar of Democratic Governance
The judiciary occupies a unique position in a constitutional democracy. While the legislature makes laws and the executive implements them, the judiciary provides an independent mechanism for interpreting those laws and determining disputes.
For Kaduna State, this role is particularly important because the State operates a plural legal environment involving:
- The High Court of Justice;
- Magistrates’ Courts;
- Sharia Court of Appeal;
- Customary Court of Appeal;
- Judicial Service Commission;
- Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms;
- The legal profession and Bar;
- Other institutions connected with administration of justice.
Judicial reform must therefore be understood as a system-wide process, rather than simply the construction of courtrooms.
Governor Sani has publicly recognised this broader responsibility. According to the Kaduna State Government, he described the judiciary as indispensable to constitutional order, protection of civil liberties, due process and peaceful resolution of disputes.
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- A New Approach to Judicial Infrastructure
One of the most visible aspects of the administration’s judicial intervention has been investment in court infrastructure.
The Kaduna State Government’s budget documents demonstrate that judicial infrastructure has been receiving dedicated capital allocations, including projects involving the construction and rehabilitation of High Court and Magistrates’ Court facilities.
The 2025 approved budget, for example, provided for:
- Construction of the High Court Complex at Barnawa;
- Construction of a High Court Complex at Kachia;
- Construction of a High Court Complex at Fada, Zaria City;
- Construction of Magistrates’ Courts at Makarfi and Makera;
- Construction and renovation of other court facilities;
- Rehabilitation of High Court facilities at Saminaka and Bida Road, Kaduna;
- Renovation of Magistrates’ Courts at Fada, Barnawa and NDA Junction;
- Rehabilitation of judges’ residential facilities.
These projects are important because justice cannot be effectively administered where judges, lawyers, litigants and court staff are forced to work in inadequate facilities.
A modern courtroom is not merely a physical structure. It is an instrument for ensuring orderly proceedings, secure records, appropriate working conditions and dignified access to justice.
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- The Over ₦2 Billion Judiciary Headquarters Renovation
Perhaps the most significant recent intervention is the comprehensive renovation of the Kaduna State Judiciary Headquarters.
According to reports in July 2026, the Kaduna State Government had awarded and commenced renovation of the Judiciary Headquarters at a cost exceeding ₦2 billion.
The project covers major institutions including:
- The High Court of Justice;
- Sharia Court of Appeal;
- Customary Court of Appeal;
- Judicial Service Commission.
This intervention is particularly significant because these institutions constitute important components of the State’s justice architecture.
Rather than treating judicial buildings as ordinary public offices, the administration’s approach recognises that the physical environment in which justice is administered affects the dignity, efficiency and public perception of the justice system.
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- Expanding Courts Beyond Kaduna Metropolis
Another important dimension of the reform programme is the geographical distribution of judicial infrastructure.
The 2025 budget included projects in places such as Kachia, Makarfi, Zaria, Saminaka and other locations outside the Kaduna metropolis.
This has an important implication for access to justice.
A citizen living far from the State capital should not have to travel unnecessarily long distances simply to access a court.
The decentralisation of court infrastructure can therefore:
- Reduce the geographical barriers to justice;
- Reduce transportation costs for litigants;
- Improve access for rural communities;
- Bring judicial institutions closer to citizens;
- Reduce pressure on courts in Kaduna metropolis.
In this sense, infrastructure becomes a component of access-to-justice policy.
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- Welfare of Judicial Officers and Workers
Judicial reform cannot succeed if the people operating the system are neglected.
The Governor’s administration has therefore placed significant attention on the welfare of judiciary personnel.
In 2026, the administration approved nearly ₦1 billion for outstanding entitlements of judiciary workers, with the package reported to include salary arrears and other outstanding benefits.
The intervention was particularly significant because workers’ welfare affects morale, productivity and institutional stability.
Similarly, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Kaduna publicly commended Governor Sani’s administration for its interventions in judicial workers’ welfare, including outstanding allowances and other entitlements.
This demonstrates an important principle:
A judicial reform programme cannot be sustainable when it invests in buildings but neglects the human beings who administer justice.
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- Strengthening Judicial Independence
One of the most delicate aspects of judicial reform is the relationship between the executive and the judiciary.
A state government has constitutional responsibilities toward the justice system, particularly concerning funding, infrastructure and institutional support. However, such support should not become interference with judicial decision-making.
Governor Sani has repeatedly emphasised the importance of judicial independence.
At the commissioning of the Justice Muhammadu Bello Bar Centre in May 2026, he stated that the independence, integrity and institutional strength of the justice sector must not be compromised.
This principle is central to constitutional democracy.
The objective of executive support should therefore be:
Support without interference.
That means providing the judiciary with resources, facilities and institutional support while preserving its authority to determine cases according to law and evidence.
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- Judicial Technology and Modernisation
The contemporary justice system cannot remain completely dependent on traditional paper-based processes.
Digital transformation can improve:
- Case management;
- Storage of judicial records;
- Access to legal materials;
- Communication between courts and lawyers;
- Publication of judgments;
- Case tracking;
- Administrative efficiency;
- Transparency.
The Kaduna State Government’s reform planning reflects this direction.
The 2026 Kaduna State BERAP Action Plan specifically identifies reforms aimed at improving the State Judiciary and strengthening access to an efficient commercial justice system. It proposes updating the State Judiciary website, publishing relevant information and improving the operation of the Small Claims Court.
The State’s budget documents have also included provision for acquisition of Law Pavilion Prime for the e-Judiciary, reflecting an attempt to strengthen access to electronic legal research and judicial technology.
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- Reform of Commercial Justice
Justice delayed can become particularly damaging in commercial disputes.
Businesses require predictable and relatively speedy dispute-resolution mechanisms. If commercial cases take excessively long to conclude, businesses may lose money, investors may become reluctant to invest and economic activity may be disrupted.
Kaduna’s 2026 BERAP Action Plan therefore identifies “Quick Determination of Commercial Disputes” as a reform area.
Among the proposed deliverables are:
- Review and publication of an updated Small Claims Court Practice Direction;
- Publication of judges’ assignments, filing steps and fees;
- Statewide awareness campaigns;
- Updating the State Judiciary website;
- Increasing Small Claims Court case resolution;
- Reducing average case-resolution time.
The plan targets a 50% increase in Small Claims Court case resolution and a 70% reduction in average Small Claims Court case-resolution time.
This is a significant development because it connects judicial reform directly with the economic development agenda of the State.
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- Alternative Dispute Resolution and Access to Justice
Not every dispute needs to proceed through a lengthy conventional trial.
Alternative Dispute Resolution can provide mechanisms such as:
- Mediation;
- Arbitration;
- Negotiation;
- Conciliation.
The advantage is that suitable disputes can sometimes be resolved more quickly and with lower costs.
Governor Sani’s original governance agenda included judicial reforms and the expansion of Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms, particularly to facilitate faster resolution of disputes.
The broader significance is that a modern justice system should offer different pathways to justice, rather than forcing every dispute through the same process.
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- Support for the Legal Profession
The judiciary does not operate in isolation from lawyers.
A strong justice system requires competent judges, magistrates, lawyers, court officials and other justice-sector professionals.
The commissioning of the Justice Muhammadu Bello Bar Centre in May 2026 represented an important intervention in the wider legal ecosystem.
Governor Sani used the occasion to emphasise the need for lawyers to adapt to technological change, including artificial intelligence, digital communication and changing evidentiary and commercial environments.
The Bar Centre therefore represents more than a physical building. It can serve as a platform for:
- Continuing legal education;
- Professional development;
- Legal research;
- Conferences and seminars;
- Collaboration between the Bar and Bench;
- Institutional development of the legal profession.
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- Judges’ Accommodation and Working Conditions
Judicial independence also requires adequate working and living conditions.
The State’s budgetary framework has included provision for houses for judges as well as renovation of judges’ residences. The 2024 budget documentation, for example, contained a ₦2.5 billion provision associated with acquisition of houses for judges of the High Court and other superior courts.
The rationale is straightforward.
Judges require secure and dignified working and residential environments to perform their constitutional responsibilities effectively.
Adequate accommodation can also contribute to judicial security, particularly in an environment where security concerns may affect public officials.
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- The Role of the Judicial Service Commission
The Judicial Service Commission is an important institution in the administration of justice.
Its responsibilities include important aspects of judicial administration and recommendations concerning appointments within the judicial structure.
The renovation of the Judiciary Headquarters includes the Judicial Service Commission, according to reports on the current renovation project.
Investment in the institutional infrastructure of the Commission is therefore part of the broader effort to strengthen the administrative foundation of the judiciary.
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- Sharia and Customary Justice
Kaduna State’s justice system reflects the constitutional and legal diversity of Nigeria.
The State has both a Sharia Court of Appeal and a Customary Court of Appeal, alongside the High Court system.
The current Judiciary Headquarters renovation covers the Sharia Court of Appeal and Customary Court of Appeal as well as the High Court and Judicial Service Commission.
This is important because judicial reform should not favour only one part of the justice system.
A comprehensive reform programme must strengthen all constitutionally recognised judicial institutions within the State.
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- Continuity Rather Than Complete Reinvention
It is important to put Governor Sani’s reforms into historical context.
Judicial infrastructure programmes did not begin in 2023. Kaduna’s earlier budgets also contained significant allocations for High Courts, Magistrates’ Courts, judges’ residences, court renovation, generators and judicial vehicles. For example, the 2021 approved budget included capital provisions for construction and renovation of courts and judges’ residences as well as automation-related expenditure.
Therefore, it would be inaccurate to describe every judicial infrastructure project under Governor Sani as having originated entirely with his administration.
A more accurate assessment is that the Sani administration has continued, expanded and redirected investment in judicial infrastructure while adding stronger emphasis on institutional capacity, welfare, commercial justice and modernisation.
That distinction strengthens rather than weakens the credibility of the reform narrative.
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- The Economic Importance of Judicial Reform
Judicial reform is also economic reform.
Investors need confidence that:
- Contracts will be respected;
- Commercial disputes can be resolved;
- Property rights can be protected;
- Government decisions can be challenged lawfully;
- Businesses can obtain remedies when agreements are breached.
A slow or inaccessible justice system can therefore impose hidden economic costs.
The Kaduna Government’s emphasis on the Small Claims Court and quick determination of commercial disputes is particularly important in this regard. The 2026 BERAP plan explicitly connects the reform with the goal of creating a more efficient commercial justice system.
Thus, judicial reform supports not only lawyers and litigants but also businesses, investors, entrepreneurs and the wider Kaduna economy.
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- Justice as an Instrument of Peace and Security
In a state facing complex social and security challenges, the judiciary also has an important role in maintaining peace.
When citizens believe that disputes can be resolved through legitimate institutions, the temptation to resort to self-help can be reduced.
Courts provide lawful mechanisms for resolving:
- Land disputes;
- Commercial disputes;
- Family disputes;
- Criminal allegations;
- Constitutional disputes;
- Administrative disputes;
- Property disputes.
Governor Sani’s description of the justice sector as essential to peaceful coexistence and democratic stability therefore reflects the broader relationship between justice, peace and development.
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- Measuring the Reform: From Inputs to Outcomes
The true test of judicial reform should not be the amount of money spent or the number of buildings renovated.
The ultimate questions should be:
Are cases being concluded faster?
Are citizens finding it easier to access justice?
Are court users treated with dignity?
Are judicial workers better motivated?
Are commercial disputes resolved more efficiently?
Are court records becoming more accessible and secure?
Has public confidence in the justice system improved?
These are the outcome indicators that should ultimately determine the success of the reforms.
The 2026 BERAP targets—particularly the proposed 50% increase in Small Claims Court case resolution and 70% reduction in average resolution time—are useful because they move the reform discussion from expenditure to measurable performance.
- A Broader Assessment of Governor Uba Sani’s Judicial Legacy
Governor Uba Sani’s judicial intervention can broadly be understood as having six interconnected dimensions:
- Physical restoration
Renovation and construction of court infrastructure.
- Human-capital support
Attention to the welfare and entitlements of judiciary workers.
- Institutional strengthening
Support for the High Court, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal and Judicial Service Commission.
- Access to justice
Expansion and rehabilitation of courts across different parts of the State.
- Justice-sector modernisation
Digital tools, electronic legal resources and improvements in judicial information systems.
- Faster dispute resolution
Strengthening of Small Claims Court and commercial dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Taken together, these measures suggest that the administration’s approach is broader than a simple infrastructure programme.
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- The Road Ahead
Despite these achievements, judicial reform is an ongoing process.
The next phase should focus increasingly on measurable outcomes, including:
- Reduction in case backlogs;
- Faster delivery of judgments;
- Full digitalisation of case records;
- E-filing and electronic case management;
- Strengthening of Small Claims Courts;
- Expansion of ADR;
- Improved legal aid for vulnerable citizens;
- Continuous training for judges and court staff;
- Better security for judicial officers;
- Transparent publication of judicial statistics;
- Improved public access to judgments and court information.
The State should also periodically publish a Kaduna State Justice Sector Performance Report, containing statistics on cases filed, cases disposed of, pending cases, average case duration, Small Claims Court performance and other measurable indicators.
Such transparency would allow citizens to judge the reform programme based on outcomes rather than political claims.
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Conclusion: Restoring Confidence in Justice
The restoration of justice is ultimately about restoring confidence.
Citizens must believe that the law protects them. Businesses must believe that contracts can be enforced. Victims must believe that lawful remedies exist. Accused persons must believe that due process will be respected. Judges and lawyers must have the institutional environment necessary to perform their duties professionally.
Governor Uba Sani’s administration has made judicial infrastructure, institutional support, workers’ welfare, commercial justice and legal-sector development important components of its governance programme.
The renovation of the Judiciary Headquarters at a reported cost exceeding ₦2 billion, the investment in courts across the State, welfare interventions for judiciary personnel, support for the legal profession and the 2026 reform agenda for faster commercial dispute resolution collectively represent a significant phase in Kaduna’s continuing judicial development.
The most important legacy, however, will not ultimately be measured in buildings or naira.
It will be measured in how quickly a citizen obtains justice, how fairly a dispute is determined, how confidently a business enters a contract, how effectively a victim obtains a remedy, and how strongly the people of Kaduna believe that the rule of law works for them.
That is the deeper meaning of judicial reform.
And if the reforms presently underway are fully implemented, properly funded, transparently monitored and sustained beyond the current administration, they can become an enduring institutional legacy for Kaduna State.
Justice is not merely one department of government. It is the foundation upon which every other institution of government must ultimately stand.
By
Barrister Muhammad Kabir Uthman
Secretary Fiscal Responsibility commission Kaduna state.
