Rigidity arose on the Federal Excessive Courtroom of Nigeria after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered a lawyer representing activist Omoyele Sowore to kneel throughout proceedings, a directive the counsel rejected, insisting it was not recognised below Nigerian legislation.
The confrontation occurred on Monday, in the course of the ongoing trial of Sowore, who’s being prosecuted by the Division of State Companies (DSS) over remarks during which he allegedly described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a legal. The incident befell on the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja.
The courtroom rigidity reportedly started after Sowore’s authorized staff requested for an extended adjournment following the prosecution’s declare that it had closed its case, a request that appeared to annoy the choose.
Throughout the proceedings, Sowore instructed the courtroom he supposed to proceed travelling throughout Nigeria to mobilise opposition towards President Tinubu forward of the 2027 basic election.
Lead prosecutor Adeolu Kehinde, SAN, shortly moved to interrupt him. At that time, Sowore’s lead counsel, Marshal Abubakar, rose to talk.
In line with reviews from the courtroom, the lawyer delivered an emotional intervention, arguing that Nigeria’s future trusted the sort of progressive, leftist concepts Sowore represents. He additionally steered that the federal authorities was decided to silence the activist and presumably imprison him to stop him from collaborating within the subsequent election cycle.
Justice Umar, who had repeatedly indicated that he didn’t need additional arguments from Abubakar, then misplaced his mood and ordered the lawyer to step ahead and kneel down as punishment for what he described as contempt of courtroom.
Nonetheless, the counsel refused.
Talking in what witnesses described as a muffled however persistent tone, Abubakar instructed the courtroom that kneeling earlier than a choose was unknown to Nigerian legislation and couldn’t be imposed as a lawful punishment.
His response prompted concern contained in the courtroom, with a number of attorneys rising to enchantment to the choose to relax as tensions escalated.
The choose finally halted the proceedings and adjourned the matter to April 13, 2026, regardless of objections from Sowore’s authorized staff, who argued that the date was inconvenient.
Reacting to the event, the Nigerian Bar Affiliation (NBA) expressed concern over reviews from the courtroom and pressured that ordering a lawyer to kneel shouldn’t be recognised below Nigerian legislation.
In a press release signed by its president, Afam Osigwe, SAN, the affiliation stated:
“NO JUDGE HAS THE POWER TO ORDER A LAWYER TO KNEEL IN COURT
The Nigerian Bar Affiliation @NigBarAssoc is worried about reviews of an incident that occurred on Monday, 16 March 2026, on the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, involving Honourable Justice Mohammed Umar and a authorized practitioner, Mr. Marshall Abubakar, who appeared as lead defence counsel to Mr. Omoyele Sowore. In line with reviews, the realized trial choose, in response to counsel elevating his voice whereas addressing the courtroom on the suitability of a listening to date, directed the lawyer to step out of the Bar and kneel down, alongside issuing threats of committal for contempt.”
The NBA added that though judges possess authority to keep up order and self-discipline in courtroom, such powers should be exercised inside the boundaries of the legislation and established judicial requirements.
“The courtroom is a temple of justice, ruled by legislation, process and decorum,” the affiliation stated.
It additional famous that whereas courts can punish contempt, the method should observe recognised authorized procedures designed to make sure equity and respect for the dignity of everybody concerned.
In line with the NBA, directing a lawyer or any particular person to kneel in courtroom shouldn’t be a recognised judicial sanction and doesn’t align with the requirements anticipated of judicial conduct.
The affiliation additionally reminded attorneys of their accountability to keep up professionalism and respect for the courtroom even throughout disagreements, urging calm whereas encouraging that grievances be addressed by means of applicable institutional channels.
Ademide Adebayo
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