**Nigerian Judge's Unprecedented Order Sparks Outrage** A recent incident at the Federal High Court in Abuja has sparked heated reactions from former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Justice Mohammed Umar ordered Sowore's lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, to kneel down in court after the latter raised his voice while making submissions. Abubakar was in court to represent Sowore in a case filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over a Facebook post he made in August 2025, describing President Tinubu as a 'criminal'. The lawyer's raised voice in response to the court's suggestion for an inconvenient date for the defence to open its case, however, didn't sit well with the judge. In a shocking display of authority, Justice Umar ordered Abubakar to "come out" of the bar area and kneel down. Fortunately, other lawyers in the courtroom intervened, convincing the judge to forgive Abubakar. Sowore took to Facebook to express his outrage at the judge's decision, questioning the ability to find justice in a country where a judge can order a respected lawyer to kneel down. He praised Abubakar for standing his ground and accused the NBA of being more concerned with trivial matters than protecting the rights of lawyers. The NBA has since weighed in on the issue, stating that no judge has the power to ask a lawyer to kneel down in court. This unprecedented order has sparked a national conversation about the limits of judicial authority and the need for accountability. As Nigerians continue to grapple with the implications of this incident, one thing is certain: the incident highlights the need for checks and balances in the judiciary to ensure that justice is served fairly and impartially.