THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the conduct of rights activist Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday.
In a statement issued by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN on Wednesday, the NBA expressed concern over what it described as the misuse of the courtroom as a platform for media engagement and public commentary.
According to the NBA, Sowore entered the courtroom accompanied by individuals carrying recording devices and appeared to prepare for a press briefing in the courtroom.
The statement alleged that members of his entourage engaged in activities resembling a media setup, including arranging his appearance for broadcast.
The situation, the NBA said, escalated when Sowore moved into the inner bar area, sat on a table, and began addressing what he called “a range of national issues,” despite not having any case scheduled for hearing at the time and without the presence of legal counsel.
The development led to tension in the courtroom and a confrontation with, Musibau Adetunbi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who objected to the conduct and insisted on maintaining courtroom decorum.
The NBA emphasized that while court proceedings are open to the public in a constitutional democracy, such access is subject to strict standards of discipline and respect and stressed that courtrooms are solely for the administration of justice and should not be converted into venues for media spectacle.
“The use of a courtroom as a venue for publicity or confrontation is unacceptable,” the statement read, warning that such actions could undermine the dignity of the court, disrupt proceedings, and intimidate legal practitioners.