Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has dismissed allegations by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that he staged a press briefing inside the Federal High Court in Abuja, insisting instead that he only responded to journalists who approached him.

The NBA, in a statement signed by its president Afam Osigwe, had earlier condemned Sowore’s conduct during his visit to the court, describing it as disruptive and inappropriate for a courtroom setting.
But Sowore says that version of events is inaccurate.

According to him, he was at the Federal High Court for a routine legal follow-up, to obtain a Certified True Copy of a ruling that struck out a cybercrime charge previously filed against him. He said the process was delayed after he was informed that the presiding judge would not immediately sign the order due to additional motions filed by the police.

While waiting, Sowore explained that journalists stationed at the court approached him for comments, and he responded on the spot. He stressed that there was no organised briefing, no setup, and no intention to hold a press conference inside the courtroom.

From his perspective, the engagement was informal and consistent with how media interactions often unfold around court proceedings.

Sowore also took issue with the NBA’s framing of the incident, accusing the association of misrepresenting what actually happened and overlooking what he described as more serious concerns around court processes and state conduct in previous cases involving him.

He further alleged that the situation escalated when some lawyers challenged his presence and conduct, turning what he described as a normal post-hearing interaction into a confrontation.

The NBA, however, had maintained that courtrooms must remain strictly reserved for legal proceedings and should not be turned into spaces for publicity or media engagement, warning that such actions risk undermining the authority of the judiciary.