Drama unfolded in the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday as Marshall Abubakar, lead defence counsel to Omoyele Sowore, was threatened with contempt by Justice Mohammed Umar after raising his voice in court.
The tension arose during Sowore’s trial over alleged defamation and cyberstalking of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after Abubakar objected to the court’s chosen date for the defence to open its case, citing conflicts with Sowore’s party activities. The judge ordered Abubakar to “come out” of the bar and kneel in front of the courtroom, though other lawyers intervened to seek forgiveness for him.
The case, initially filed against Sowore alongside X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook), had recently been amended to remove the tech companies as defendants and reduce the charges from five to two, leaving Sowore as the sole defendant.
During proceedings, Abubakar cross-examined the only prosecution witness, Cyril Nosike, a State Security Service (SSS) operative, for approximately two hours, using newspaper publications as exhibits. The prosecution, led by Senior Advocate Akinlolu Kehinde, objected to certain defence tactics and urged the court to proceed on a daily hearing basis to avoid delays.
Earlier in the day, a dispute arose over a reported recording device allegedly in Sowore’s possession. Sowore denied having any device, stating he only carried personal items, which were handed over to his lawyer for safekeeping.
The court adjourned the matter to 13 April 2026 for the adoption of final written addresses related to the defence’s no-case submission, despite objections from Abubakar and Sowore regarding the scheduling.
The proceedings highlighted escalating tension between the defence and the court, with the judge warning that future breaches could result in immediate contempt action.