The Nigerian Bar Association has sharply criticised the conduct of former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing his actions as a serious breach of courtroom decorum and an affront to the rule of law.

According to accounts from the court, Sowore arrived with a group of supporters carrying camera phones and recording equipment, then proceeded to set up what appeared to be a press briefing inside the courtroom. Witnesses said members of his team positioned themselves around him “in a manner akin to a broadcast setting” as he prepared to speak on a range of national issues.

The NBA said Sowore then moved into the inner bar, sat on a table reserved for legal practitioners, and began addressing journalists, even though his case was not listed for hearing and he was not accompanied by counsel. The unusual scene reportedly created tension in the courtroom and drew an immediate objection from Senior Advocate of Nigeria Musibau Adetunbi.

A video circulating online shows Adetunbi confronting Sowore and insisting that the courtroom was not an appropriate venue for a press conference. Sowore pushed back, accusing the SAN of intimidation and declaring that he also had “his own SANs,” a remark that further inflamed the exchange.

In a statement signed by its president, Afam Osigwe, the NBA said that while courtrooms in a constitutional democracy are open to the public to promote transparency and confidence in the justice system, that openness is subject to strict standards of restraint, discipline and respect for judicial authority.

The association stressed that any conduct that undermines the dignity of the court, intimidates lawyers or disrupts proceedings is “a grave affront to the rule of law.” It warned that turning a courtroom into a stage for “publicity, advocacy theatrics, or confrontation” is incompatible with the discipline required in judicial proceedings.

Reaffirming that every Nigerian has the right to attend court, the NBA emphasised that such access does not extend to converting the courtroom into a platform for press briefings or political commentary. It condemned Sowore’s actions and expressed solidarity with Adetunbi and other lawyers who insisted on maintaining order.

The association called on court authorities to ensure that courtrooms remain protected spaces for the orderly administration of justice, vowing to continue defending the dignity of the legal profession and the sanctity of judicial proceedings.