By Danjuma Amodu | March 17, 2026
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed its strong disapproval of a Federal High Court judge’s directive for a lawyer to kneel in court, describing it as “not a recognised judicial sanction under our laws”.
The incident occurred on Monday, March 16, 2026, when Judge Mohammed Umar allegedly ordered Marshall Abubakar, lead defence counsel to Omoyele Sowore, to step out of the bar and kneel down after he raised his voice while addressing the court.
In a statement, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, emphasized that judges must exercise their authority to maintain order and discipline within the bounds of the law and established judicial standards. “A judex directing a legal practitioner or indeed any person whatsoever to kneel in court is not a recognised judicial sanction under our laws and does not align with the standards of judicial conduct expected on the Bench,” he said.
The NBA reminded lawyers of their duty to conduct themselves with restraint, professionalism, and respect for the court at all times, while also urging judges to follow established procedures for addressing contempt allegations. Also, the NBA stressed that judges must exercise their authority to maintain order and discipline within the bounds of the law and established judicial standards.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the State Security Service (SSS) for calling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” on his X and Facebook handles.
The charges against him were amended, dropping X Incorp and Meta (Facebook) Incorp as defendants, leaving Sowore as the sole defendant.
The NBA has called for calm and urged that any grievances arising from courtroom incidents be addressed through appropriate institutional and disciplinary mechanisms.
