A return to court. We shall neither kneel nor bow to an unjust system. Even in a just system, we must demand dignity and respect. pic.twitter.com/kOaIF342dY
— Omoyele Sowore (@sowore) March 17, 2026
The Nigerian Bar Association has criticised an alleged court order directing Sowore’s lawyer to kneel, describing it as inconsistent with judicial standards and due process.
The Nigerian Bar Association has condemned an alleged courtroom incident involving Justice Mohammed Umar, describing a reported directive for a lawyer to kneel as inconsistent with judicial standards and the dignity of the legal profession. The incident reportedly occurred during proceedings in a case involving activist Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the NBA, the judge allegedly ordered Marshall Abubakar, lead defence counsel to Sowore, to kneel after a heated exchange over a hearing date. The association said, “A judge directing a legal practitioner… to kneel in court is not a recognised judicial sanction under our laws,” stressing that courtroom discipline must follow established legal procedures.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong also criticised the reported directive, stating, “Corporal punishment has no place in the temple of justice.” Sowore similarly questioned the development, writing on X, “How do you expect justice in a country where a judge orders a solid lawyer to kneel down…?”
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