Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has strongly criticised an alleged incident in a Nigerian courtroom where a lawyer was reportedly instructed by a judge to kneel during proceedings.
The controversy began after reports circulated online claiming that a legal practitioner, Barrister Marshal D. F. Abubakar, was ordered to kneel by Justice Mohammed G. Umar while representing his client in a case involving the Department of State Services.
According to the report, the directive came after the lawyer insisted on exercising his right to cross-examine a witness presented by the DSS, whom the defence reportedly questioned.
Reacting on social media, Sowore expressed outrage over the alleged incident, arguing that it raised serious concerns about the state of justice in Nigeria. He questioned how fairness could be guaranteed in a system where a lawyer might be humiliated for attempting to challenge a witness in court.
Sowore commended Barrister Abubakar for standing his ground during the confrontation and refusing to back down. He claimed the tense exchange ultimately forced the presiding judge to adjourn the proceedings and leave the courtroom.
The activist also criticised the Nigerian Bar Association, accusing the organisation of failing to defend the rights and dignity of legal practitioners. According to him, the association often remains silent on issues affecting lawyers while focusing attention on less critical matters.
The courtroom incident occurred during the ongoing trial involving Sowore, who is facing charges related to alleged defamation and cyberstalking of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At the latest hearing, Sowore’s legal team cross-examined a prosecution witness identified as Cyril Nosike, an official with the DSS. During questioning, the defence referenced several newspaper reports submitted as evidence in an effort to highlight inconsistencies in the prosecution’s claims.
During testimony, the witness reportedly told the court that the DSS did not obtain direct approval from President Tinubu before initiating legal action against Sowore.
Nosike also stated that he was unaware of a previous court ruling ordering the DSS to release Sowore and his co-defendant Olawale Bakare in 2019 when they were detained over allegations of treasonable felony.
The witness further said he had no knowledge of a February 3, 2025 ruling by a judge in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, which directed American agencies to release records related to alleged investigations involving President Tinubu.
Additionally, Nosike told the court he was unaware that more than 100 DSS personnel had reportedly been dismissed for corruption-related offences, despite the announcement being published on the agency’s official website.
During cross-examination, tension reportedly increased when Justice Umar asked the defence counsel to speed up questioning. The lawyer informed the court that he still had several documents to present as evidence, but the judge instructed him to limit his remaining questions.
Although the defence complied with the directive, counsel reportedly requested permission to complete his line of questioning, noting that the cross-examination was almost finished.