JUDICIAL ABUSE, STATE REPRESSION, AND THE COLLAPSE OF PRIORITIES UNDER THE TINUBU REGIME

PRESS STATEMENT

17/03/2026

JUDICIAL ABUSE, STATE REPRESSION, AND THE COLLAPSE OF PRIORITIES UNDER THE TINUBU REGIME

The Take It Back Movement strongly condemns the disgraceful and unlawful conduct of Honourable Justice Mohammed Umar, who ordered a legal practitioner, Mr. Marshall Abubakar, to kneel in open court during proceedings involving human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.

This act is not only a gross abuse of judicial authority but a dangerous assault on democracy, similar to the executive rascality associated with the government of Tinubu. No judge, under any known law in Nigeria, has the power to subject a lawyer, or any citizen to such degrading and medieval punishment. The courtroom is not a theatre for humiliation; it is a sacred space for justice. But of course, justice have long eluded Nigerian courts since judges began receiving house gifts from politicians like the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.

What we are witnessing is a disturbing pattern under the regime of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a steady erosion of democratic norms, where institutions meant to protect citizens are now weaponised to intimidate, silence, and oppress.

While the state channels its energy into harassing Sowore and other voices of opposition, Nigeria is bleeding. Across the country, insecurity has reached alarming levels. Reports of attacks, killings, and even bombings near military formations have become frighteningly frequent. Yet, instead of confronting these urgent threats, the Department of State Services (DSS) appears more preoccupied with targeting critics of the government.

This is a dangerous misplacement of priorities.
At a time when Nigerians are being slaughtered, displaced, and terrorised, the state’s obsession with silencing opposition figures exposes a regime that is deeply disconnected from the realities of its people. A government that fears criticism more than it fears insecurity is one that has abandoned its fundamental responsibility.

The actions of Justice Mohammed Umar cannot be isolated from this broader context of authoritarian drift. When institutions begin to mirror the intolerance and excesses of those in power, democracy itself is at risk.

Nigeria cannot function where judges act with impunity, where security agencies chase activists instead of criminals, and where the government thrives on suppressing its own citizens.

The Take It Back Movement reiterate its call for the government of Tinubu to end its persecution of Omoyele Sowore. We are committed to use all legitimate means within our disposal, including mass protests to exercise this demand.

Sanyaolu Juwon
National Coordinator,
Take It Back Movement