The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and activist Omoyele Sowore have traded words over an incident that occurred on March 24, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with both sides offering conflicting accounts of events.
In a statement issued by its President, Afam Osigwe, the NBA condemned what it described as inappropriate conduct by Sowore داخل the courtroom.
“The courtroom exists solely for adjudication, and its openness cannot be stretched to permit activities unrelated to that purpose,” Osigwe said, stressing that courts “should not be used as a stage for media briefing.”
The NBA alleged that Sowore entered the courtroom accompanied by individuals carrying recording devices and appeared to be preparing for a press conference. According to the statement, he later moved into the inner bar area and began addressing “a range of national issues,” despite his case not being scheduled for a hearing.
The situation reportedly caused tension in the courtroom, leading to a confrontation with Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Musibau Adetunbi, who objected to the conduct.
“Any conduct that undermines the dignity of the court, intimidates legal practitioners, or disrupts proceedings constitutes a grave affront to the rule of law,” Osigwe stated, adding that the association “condemns Mr Sowore’s disruption of the courtroom environment.”
The NBA also called on court authorities to safeguard courtrooms from actions capable of undermining judicial proceedings and expressed solidarity with lawyers who insisted on maintaining decorum.
However, Sowore, in a swift response, rejected the NBA’s claims, describing the statement as “another sad day for democracy in Nigeria.”
“I did not organise any press conference. I responded to questions, as I have done consistently over the years,” he said.
Sowore explained that he was at the court to obtain a Certified True Copy of a ruling that struck out a cybercrime charge filed against him in January 2025. He alleged that complications arose after the police filed and withdrew motions affecting the signing of the court order.
According to him, journalists present in the courtroom approached him for comments while he waited for proceedings to resume.
“These journalists are part of the court environment; they interact freely with lawyers, litigants, and observers,” he said, insisting that his engagement with the media was routine.
Sowore further accused the NBA of “selective outrage,” questioning its silence during past incidents involving alleged misconduct by security agencies, including the Department of State Services.
“The NBA cannot claim to defend the rule of law while ignoring abuses by powerful state actors and amplifying misleading narratives,” he said.
He also alleged that some lawyers attempted to intimidate him and his team during the incident, claims not addressed in the NBA’s statement.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between legal authorities and public figures over courtroom conduct, media engagement, and the boundaries of public access within Nigeria’s judicial system. #Securitynewsalert.com
