SOWORE DENIES HOLDING COURT PRESS CONFERENCE, CRITICIZES NBA
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By: Muftau Fatimo
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has refuted claims by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that he held a press conference at the Federal High Court in Abuja, asserting that he was merely answering questions from journalists.
The NBA, in a Wednesday statement signed by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), condemned Sowore’s actions, describing them as a disruption of courtroom decorum after he was seen speaking to reporters within the court premises.
The association argued that his conduct undermined the dignity of the court and fell short of the standards expected in judicial proceedings.
In response, Sowore called the NBA’s stance “another sad day for democracy in Nigeria,” accusing the body of misrepresenting the facts surrounding the incident.
He said, “First, the NBA and its president falsely claimed that I staged a press conference in court on a day when my case was not listed. This is incorrect.”
Sowore explained that he was at the Federal High Court to obtain the Certified True Copy of a ruling and order striking out a cybercrime charge filed against him in January 2025.
He described the charge as baseless and linked it to actions by the police.
“I was at the Federal High Court to obtain a Certified True Copy of a ruling and order that struck out a baseless cybercrime charge filed against me in January 2025,” Sowore explained.
He stated that upon his arrival, the court registrar informed him that the presiding judge had declined to sign the order due to motions filed by the police, including an ex parte application to relist the case and a subsequent motion to withdraw it.
“We were told that Justice M.S. Liman would only sign the ruling after addressing those motions. We protested this irregularity and were asked to wait for the judge to resume sitting,” he added.
Sowore emphasized that while waiting in the court premises, journalists approached him for comments, which he provided as part of routine media engagement.
“While waiting, media personnel attached to the Federal High Court approached me, as they routinely do, and requested comments. I obliged. This is standard practice,” he said.
He clarified, “I did not organize any press conference. I simply responded to questions, as I have consistently done over the years.”
Sowore further noted that such interactions with journalists were not unusual, citing similar experiences during his 2019 trial.
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He also criticized the NBA for what he called “selective outrage,” questioning why the association remained silent during previous incidents involving alleged breaches of court procedures.
“The NBA’s selective outrage is troubling. Where was this energy when DSS operatives stormed a courtroom to abduct me before a sitting judge?” he asked.
Sowore alleged that some lawyers tried to intimidate him during the incident, stating, “The attempt by certain lawyers to intimidate and harass us in court—issuing threats, attempting to damage equipment, and even calling the police—only highlights the growing culture of impunity.”
He emphasized that court records would confirm that his case was properly before the court, with both his lawyers and police representatives present. He added that the judge reaffirmed the ruling striking out the case and ordered the release of his international passport.
“The NBA cannot claim to defend the rule of law while ignoring abuses by powerful state actors and amplifying misleading narratives,” Sowore said.
The remarks come after an incident on March 24 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Sowore was seen speaking to journalists, which led to tensions and a confrontation with Senior Advocate of Nigeria Musibau Adetunbi, who objected to his conduct and stressed the importance of courtroom decorum.
The NBA described using a courtroom as a platform for publicity or advocacy as unacceptable and urged court authorities to uphold the sanctity of judicial proceedings.
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