A member of Omoyele Sowore’s legal team, Abdulkareem Musa, has accused the court handling the activist’s case of displaying hostility toward the former presidential candidate during proceedings at the Federal High Court.
According to reports by Arise News, Musa alleged that the presiding judge repeatedly ordered Sowore to remove personal items, including his wristwatch, eyeglasses, and shirt, over suspicions that he intended to secretly record proceedings inside the courtroom.
He said: “The judge asked Sowore to pull his wristwatch, shirt and eyeglasses because he thinks Sowore wants to record the proceedings.”
The lawyer maintained that there was no evidence that Sowore or any member of his legal team was attempting to record the court session.
The legal team expressed concern over what they described as a hostile atmosphere during the proceedings, insisting that the repeated directives against their client created the impression of bias.
Musa further alleged that the court also ordered a member of the defense team to kneel during proceedings, an action the lawyers considered humiliating and inappropriate.
As a result, the defense formally requested that the presiding judge recuse himself from the case, arguing that they no longer believed Sowore could receive a fair hearing under the current circumstances.
The courtroom session followed Sowore’s application seeking to vacate a bench warrant and restore his bail after he was remanded to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
However, the court adjourned ruling on the matter until June 30 and declined an urgent request for his temporary release pending the decision.
Supporters of the activist described the proceedings as politically motivated, while security officials maintained a heavy presence around the courthouse during and after the hearing.
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