The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the Human Right activist, and Founder of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, for using the Federal High Court, Abuja, for media briefing.
Mr. Sowore allegedly entered the courtroom on Tuesday, accompanied by a number of individuals carrying camera phones and recording equipment.
He was said to have proceeded to set up what appeared to be preparations for a press conference within the courtroom itself, and Members of his team were attending to him, fanning his face and tidying his appearance in a manner akin to a broadcast setting.
He reportedly 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.”
According to reports, Mr. Sowore’s case was not listed for hearing, and he was not accompanied by any legal practitioner during the episode, leading 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.
Reacting to the development, in a statement on Wednesday, the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, noted that courtrooms in a constitutional democracy are open to the public not as arenas for performance, but as sanctuaries for the orderly administration of justice.
He explained that their openness promotes transparency and public confidence, yet it also imposes a duty of restraint on all who enter. Adding that 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 emphasised that courtrooms are solemn spaces dedicated to the administration of justice. Therefore, any conduct that undermines the dignity of the court, intimidates legal practitioners, or disrupts proceedings constitutes a grave affront to the rule of law.
According to him, 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.
He said while every Nigerian, including Mr. Sowore, is entitled to attend and observe court proceedings, such right must be exercised responsibly and with due regard to courtroom decorum. Noting that public access to the courts does not extend to converting the courtroom into a platform for press briefings or actions capable of undermining the dignity and authority of the court, whether or not the court is in session.
He therefore condemned Mr. Sowore’s disruption of the courtroom environment and expressed solidarity with Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, and all lawyers who insisted on maintaining decorum.
The NBA President called 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.
He assured that NBA would continue to defend the dignity of the legal profession and the sanctity of judicial proceedings. Saying that the courtroom must remain a place of order, respect, disciplined advocacy, and responsible public access, not spectacle, confrontation, or disorder.
