‘You have no right to tell lawyer to kneel in court’ – NBA slams judge

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has slammed a Federal High Court justice implicit an incidental involving quality rights activist, Omoyele Sowore.

DAILY POST earlier reported that the contention unfolded connected Monday, March 16, 2026, astatine the Federal High Court successful Abuja, during proceedings presided implicit by Justice Mohammed Umar.

The incidental progressive Sowore’s pb counsel, Marshall Abubakar, and reportedly arose from a disagreement implicit proceeding dates.

According to reports, the justice allegedly instructed Abubakar to permission the Bar and kneel portion addressing the court, pursuing the lawyer raising his dependable during submissions.

Justice Umar is besides said to person threatened the lawyer with contempt proceedings.

Reacting connected Tuesday, the NBA described the judge’s actions arsenic “inappropriate” and “contrary to the standards of judicial behaviour expected connected the Bench”.

The relation stressed that nary instrumentality authorizes a justice to bid a ineligible practitioner oregon immoderate idiosyncratic to kneel successful court.

While acknowledging the powers of judges to support order, the NBA emphasized that specified authorization indispensable beryllium exercised wrong ineligible limits.

Contempt proceedings, it said, “must travel owed process to support fairness and the rights of each parties involved”.

The NBA further reminded lawyers of their work to “maintain professionalism successful court”, urging them to beryllium steadfast yet respectful.

It called on...