- Safiu Kehinde
The drama which ensued between human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) at the Federal High Court, Abuja, has escalated as one of the lawyers of the under the SAN abused a woman and threatened to beat her.
NPO earlier Reported Sowore’s challenge against the Senior Advocate who confronted him for holding a press briefing right within the court room.
The senior lawyer had charged the press men and Sowore to leave the court room, maintaining that the press briefing is meant to be held outside the court room and not within the chamber.
This would lead to verbal exchanges between the duo with Sowore accusing the SAN of intimidating him over the confrontation.
The development also appeared to have sparked outrage from the counsels under the SAN with one of them venting his anger on the woman who reportedly urged them to stay out of the issue between their principal and Sowore,
Video shared on X showing the visibly angered lawyer yelling at the woman and calling her mad as other spectators and counsels stand between them.
Addressing newsmen after the fiasco, the woman whose name was not disclosed recounted how the lawyer had fired back at her and threatened to beat her up after urging him and his colleagues restrain from interfering in the clash between Sowore and their principal.
“The SAN walked in and told him he is not supposed to be granting an interview in court. He explained to the SAN that he is being asked a question and he wants to respond to it.
“The started arguing with him and escalated the issue. Some of the lawyers under the SAN were talking and I was like the two bosses were talking, why don’t you keep your cool and let them talk? And one of them said I’m very stupid that he will slap me. That I’m not a lawyer; he will beat me.” She said.
The development had however sparked public outrage with netizens condemning the action of the lawyer.