Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has officially acknowledged receipt of a petition filed by human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, against Justice Umar G. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over allegations of judicial misconduct, bias, and abuse of judicial authority. In a letter dated 25 June 2026, addressed to Sowore, the NJC confirmed that it had received the petition and a verifying affidavit dated 4 June 2026, and informed the activist that "action is being taken" on the complaint.
The petition, titled "Petition Against Hon. Justice Umar G. Mohammed of Court 5, Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, for Gross Judicial Misconduct, Abuse of Judicial Authority, Conduct Unbecoming of a Judicial Officer, and Circumstances Giving Rise to a Reasonable Apprehension of Bias," accuses the judge of bias, hostility, and conduct inconsistent with the standards expected of a judicial officer. Sowore has repeatedly alleged that Justice Umar's actions during the proceedings have undermined his constitutional right to a fair hearing.
The acknowledgment letter, referenced NJC/F.3/FHC.8/11/629, was issued on behalf of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun. While the NJC has not disclosed a timeline for determining the petition, its confirmation that the matter is under review indicates that the complaint has entered the Council's established disciplinary process for examining allegations of judicial misconduct against serving judges.
Sowore's petition stems from a series of contentious proceedings in the Federal High Court, where he is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over social media posts in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a "criminal". According to Sowore, his legal team did not file a recusal application directly before Justice Umar but instead submitted an administrative petition to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court requesting that the case be reassigned to another judge. He alleged that the judge had "repeatedly displayed inherent bias and open disrespect toward our legal team". In one instance, Sowore claimed Justice Umar asked his lead counsel, Marshal D. F. Abubakar, "to kneel before him in court, an outrageous act that has no place in the history of jurisprudence in Nigeria".
Sowore further alleged that before the court proceedings, his legal team received information that Justice Umar was hurrying back from an official engagement to deliver a ruling dismissing their recusal request. "Before arriving at the court, we had already been informed that Justice Mohammed Garba Umar was rushing back from an event to deliver a ruling on our recusal request. Essentially, he was hurrying back simply to dismiss it," he stated.
Justice Umar had previously rejected an application requesting that he recuse himself from the trial, describing the allegations of bias as baseless and an attempt to frustrate the proceedings. The judge also revoked Sowore's bail after he failed to appear in court on one occasion, although the order was later reversed and his bail restored.
In a related development, the Lagos State chapter of the #EndBadGovernance Movement also petitioned the NJC on 7 July 2026, demanding an investigation and disciplinary action against Justice Umar over allegations of judicial bias, misconduct, and abuse of judicial discretion in Sowore's trial. The group accused the judge of humiliating Sowore's lawyer by directing him to kneel before the court, harassing and intimidating defence lawyers, and failing to sit on a scheduled hearing date without prior notice. The group also criticised Justice Umar's decision to revoke Sowore's bail on 16 June, despite the activist reportedly informing the court that he had prior engagements after the court failed to sit on the earlier scheduled date.
The #EndBadGovernance Movement asked the NJC to immediately commence disciplinary proceedings against Justice Umar, direct him to withdraw from further handling of Sowore's case, and establish an independent panel to investigate allegations of bias, intimidation of defence counsel, and abuse of judicial discretion. The group also urged the Council to impose appropriate sanctions, including removal from office if the allegations are established, and to reaffirm judicial officers' constitutional obligation to uphold fairness.
Under the Constitution, the NJC is empowered to investigate complaints against judicial officers and impose disciplinary sanctions where misconduct is established. The Council's acknowledgment of Sowore's petition and its confirmation that action is being taken represent a significant step in the disciplinary process, though the outcome remains uncertain. As the NJC proceeds with its review, the case continues to draw attention to questions of judicial impartiality, the treatment of defence counsel, and the broader integrity of the legal process in Nigeria.
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