Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) denied entry to the lawyer of Omoyele Sowore after some activists were arrested inside the court complex during a hearing relating to the detained Separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu. The incident heightened concerns about access to legal representation, court transparency and freedom of assembly.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of activists attempted to hold a silent protest in the court compound when officers intervened and detained several persons. Sowore’s legal team reported that the lawyer was prevented from entering the courtroom to consult his client and secure his own representation. The Police, in a statement, claimed that security concerns and court orders restricted access after the arrests.
Human rights groups expressed alarm, suggesting the measure infringed on legal norms and threatened the fairness of proceedings. They called on the judiciary to ensure that lawyers are granted uninterrupted access to their clients and that due process be respected. Legal analysts noted that the episode may cast doubt on how the case is managed and its wider implications for trust in Nigeria’s justice system.
