The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the conduct of former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, describing it as a “disruption of courtroom decorum.”
Sowore, on Tuesday, was cautioned by Musibau Adetunbi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, over an attempt to address journalists inside the courtroom.
The incident, captured in a video now circulating online, showed the senior lawyer confronting Sowore and members of the media, insisting that the courtroom was not an appropriate venue for a press conference.
Sowore, however, disagreed, saying, “You’re intimidating me and insulting my intelligence because you’re introducing yourself to me as a SAN. I also have my own SANs.”
Sowore insisted that engaging the media at that moment was a matter of openness and respect, especially while waiting for the judge to return.
The SAN rejected the argument, stating that such conduct was against long-standing legal practice.
In a Wednesday statement obtained by TVC News, the NBA President, Afam Osigwe SAN, argued that the courtroom exists solely for adjudication, and its openness cannot be stretched to permit activities unrelated to that purpose.
The NBA condemned Sowore’s disruption of the courtroom environment, noting that it expresses solidarity with Musibau Adetunbi and all lawyers who insisted on maintaining decorum.
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Osigwe said, “Courtrooms in a constitutional democracy are open to the public not as arenas for performance, but as sanctuaries for the orderly administration of justice. Their openness promotes transparency and public confidence, yet it also imposes a duty of restraint on all who enter.
“Access to the courtroom is, therefore, a right exercised within boundaries of decorum, discipline, and respect for judicial authority. The courtroom exists solely for adjudication, and its openness cannot be stretched to permit activities unrelated to that purpose.”
Osigwe disclosed that “It is against this background that the Nigerian Bar Association views with grave concern the incident involving Mr Omoyele Sowore @sowore, yesterday, March 24th, 2026, at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Mr Sowore entered the courtroom accompanied by a number of individuals carrying camera phones and recording equipment. He proceeded to set up what appeared to be preparations for a press conference within the courtroom itself. Members of his team attended to him, fanning his face and tidying his appearance in a manner akin to a broadcast setting.”
“He subsequently moved into the inner bar, sat on one of the tables, and, as cameras were directed at him, began addressing what he described as “a range of national issues.” Notably, Mr Sowore’s case was not listed for a hearing, and he was not accompanied by any legal practitioner during this episode. The development led to tension within the courtroom and a confrontation with learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, who objected to the conduct and insisted on maintaining courtroom decorum.”
The NBA President noted that courtrooms are solemn spaces dedicated to the administration of justice, stressing that 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 emphasised that the use of a courtroom as a venue for publicity, advocacy theatrics, or confrontation is unacceptable and inconsistent with the discipline required in judicial proceedings.
“We also call on court authorities to ensure that courtrooms remain protected spaces for the orderly administration of justice and free from acts capable of intimidating legal practitioners in the discharge of their professional duties.
“The NBA will continue to defend the dignity of the legal profession and the sanctity of judicial proceedings. The courtroom must remain a place of order, respect, disciplined advocacy, and responsible public access, not spectacle, confrontation, or disorder,” the statement concluded.
