The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over his conduct at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, describing it as a clear disruption of courtroom decorum and an affront to the dignity of the judiciary.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, the NBA said Sowore entered the courtroom accompanied by individuals carrying camera phones and recording equipment, and proceeded to set up what appeared to be preparations for a press conference inside the court premises.
The association noted that Sowore’s team attended to him “in a manner akin to a broadcast setting,” after which he moved into the inner bar, sat on a table and began addressing a range of national issues, even though his case was not listed for hearing and he was not accompanied by any legal practitioner.
The incident reportedly led to tension in the courtroom and a confrontation with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, who objected to the conduct and insisted on the maintenance of courtroom decorum.
Reacting to a viral video of the clash, the NBA stated that while courtrooms in a constitutional democracy are open to the public to promote transparency, such access does not extend to converting the courtroom into a platform for press briefings or publicity theatrics.
“Any conduct that undermines the dignity of the court, intimidates legal practitioners, or disrupts proceedings constitutes a grave affront to the rule of law,” the statement said.
The NBA further stressed that using a courtroom for “publicity, advocacy theatrics, or confrontation is unacceptable and inconsistent with the discipline required in judicial proceedings.”
The association expressed solidarity with Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, and other lawyers who tried to maintain order, and called on court authorities to protect courtrooms as spaces for the orderly administration of justice, free from acts capable of intimidating legal practitioners.
“We also call on court authorities to ensure that courtrooms remain protected spaces for the orderly administration of justice,” the NBA added.
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