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Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, engaged in a heated exchange with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Musibau Adetunbi, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday over his interaction with journalists inside the courtroom.
The incident occurred while Mr Sowore was speaking with judiciary correspondents as he awaited the release of his passport, which he earlier submitted as a bail condition in his now ended cybercrime trial.
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In a two-minute-long video seen online by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Adetunbi approached Mr Sowore who was fielding questions from journalists in the courtroom.
Although microphones and cameras were visible as seen in the footage, Mr Sowore told the lawyer he was having a press conference. Mr Adetunbi objected, insisting that the courtroom was not a venue for press briefings and asked him to leave.
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The exchange escalated, with Mr Sowore accusing the senior lawyer of intimidation.
“You are trying to intimidate me and insult my intelligence just because you are a SAN. I have my own SANs,” Mr Sowore said, maintaining that no law prohibits speaking to journalists within courtroom.
Mr Adetunbi disagreed, stressing the need to preserve courtroom decorum.
“In nearly three decades of practice, I have never witnessed this,” he said, adding that “the courtroom is meant to serve justice, not function as a press briefing venue.”
But Mr Sowore maintained that no law disapproved of talking to journalists in the courtroom when the court is yet to be in session, that is, when the judge has yet to arrive for hearing to start.
NBA backs SAN, condemns conduct
Reacting to the incident, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, criticised Mr Sowore’s action, describing it as a breach of courtroom decorum.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Mr Osigwe, who is also SAN, said courtrooms are open to the public to promote transparency but must not be used for activities unrelated to judicial proceedings.
“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,” he stressed.
The NBA said Mr Sowore’s actions disrupted the courtroom environment and expressed solidarity with Mr Adetunbi and other lawyers who insisted on maintaining order.
“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,” he said.
Sowore rejects NBA’s position
In response, Mr Sowore dismissed the NBA’s statement as “misleading” and accused the association of selective outrage.
He denied staging a press conference, insisting he was at the court to obtain a Certified True Copy of a ruling striking out the cybercrime charge against him. He stated that he was accompanied to the court by his lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, whose name was on the cause list.
According to him, the interaction with journalists was routine and initiated by the reporters.
“I did not organise any press conference. I responded to questions, as I have done consistently over the years, including during my 2019 treason trial under the @MBuhari regime, even though the @OfficialDSSNG would smuggle me in and out of the court using the judge’s elevator bank,” he said.
Mr Sowore also alleged inconsistencies in the NBA’s defence of judicial integrity, citing past incidents where security agencies allegedly violated court processes without similar condemnation.
“The NBA cannot claim to defend the rule of law while ignoring abuses by powerful state actors,” he said.
“The attempt by some lawyers, including Senior Advocate Musibau, to intimidate and harass us in court, issuing threats, attempting to destroy equipment, and even calling the police, only underscores the growing culture of impunity. The police themselves found no wrongdoing, but I understand that even Musibau, SAN, didn’t bargain for what this teachable moment presented at the end of the encounter. So, no surprises here.
“The NBA cannot claim to defend the rule of law while ignoring abuses by powerful state actors and amplifying misleading narratives against victims of those abuses. This is not just disappointing; it is dangerous.
“If the NBA truly seeks to protect the integrity of the legal profession and the courts, it must begin with honesty, consistency, and courage. Not selective outrage. Indeed, this is another sad day for democracy in Nigeria,” he said.
Cybercrime charges struck out
Mr Sowore’s encounter with the SAN on Tuesday occurred while waiting for the release of his passport following the striking out of the cybercrime charges instituted against him last by the police.
The police filed the cybercrime charges in January 2025 over his social media posts concerning the former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Trial judge Musa Liman held that the prosecution had failed to diligently pursue the case since the defendant’s arraignment in January 2025.
READ ALSO: Court releases Sowore’s passport after striking out charges of cyberbullying ex-IGP Egbetokun
During proceedings last week, the prosecution sought an adjournment to replace its lawyer, but the defence opposed the request and urged the court to dismiss the case.
Mr Liman upheld the objection and struck out the charge for lack of diligent prosecution. The police later applied to relist the case but withdrew the motion in open court.
Following the withdrawal of the relisting application on Tuesday, the court struck out the motion laying the criminal trial to rest, which resulted in the release of Mr Sowore’s passport. The passport was released to Mr Sowore through his lawyers.
The passport had been seized from him as part of his bail conditions following his arraignment last year.
