The Nigerian Bar Association has condemned the conduct of activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, during a court proceeding in Abuja.

The condemnation was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the NBA President, Mr Yakubu Maikyau.

Maikyau described Sowore’s behaviour at the Federal Capital Territory High Court as “inappropriate and disrespectful” to the sanctity of the court.

He noted that while every citizen has the right to express grievances, such actions must be carried out within the confines of the law and with due regard for judicial institutions.

According to him, “any conduct capable of disrupting court proceedings or undermining the dignity of the judiciary would not be condoned”.

The NBA President further urged legal practitioners and members of the public to uphold courtroom decorum at all times, stressing that respect for the rule of law remains critical to the country’s democracy.
The Column recalls that Sowore had earlier in the week, engaged an unidentified Senior Advocate Of Nigeria, in a heated argument,after the lawyer reprimanded Sowore for granting a press interview inside the court room.

A communal clash between Hausa and Fulani residents in the Alwasa community of the Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State has left three people dead and several others displaced.

The violence began following a disagreement between Hausa and Fulani youths over reckless motorcycle riding, which escalated into a confrontation.

During the clash, a Fulani youth allegedly stabbed a Hausa youth, triggering further violence.

Speaking during a visit by the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, to assess the situation, the chairman of the Argungu Local Government, Sani Gulma, said the incident worsened after the suspect fled the scene.

“After the suspect ran away, some Hausa youths launched a reprisal attack on a Fulani settlement, leading to the death of two persons and the displacement of many,” he said.

“Most of those killed were innocent and not directly involved in the conflict, yet they paid the ultimate price,” he added.

Governor Idris, while condoling with the affected community, condemned the violence and warned against further reprisals.

“I have directed security agencies to track down the individual who initiated this crisis. I assure you that justice will be served,” the governor stated.

He emphasised the long-standing peaceful coexistence between the two communities.

“Alwasa has enjoyed over 100 years of peaceful coexistence between the Hausa and the Fulani. We will not allow a few individuals to disrupt this harmony,” he said.

Idris also announced a donation of two million naira each to the families of the deceased as support.

The Minister of Power has apologised to Nigerians over power outages but is promising improvements across the country in the coming days. 

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the promise on Tuesday during a press conference on his achievements in the last three years.

“I want to apologise to Nigerians, officially now, coming from me as the minister of power, for this temporary issue that is leading to hardship being experienced, especially during this dry season, where there is so much heat everywhere,” he said.

“Businesses are being affected, schools have been affected, and industries have been affected. It is not our wish to find ourselves in this situation, but it is due to some factors that are actually beyond our control.”

The minister attributed the current challenges to gas supply shortfalls to the generation companies due to the huge amounts of money owed to gas suppliers.

He hinted that the current war in the Middle East could further worsen the problems.

Nigerians have experienced power outages in recent weeks, leading to calls on authorities to address the issue.

The country’s power sector relies on gas-fired plants. But they have continued to face disruptions largely due to inadequate gas supply, pipeline maintenance issues, ageing infrastructure, and liquidity constraints.

“These issues collectively impact both the quantity and quality of gas delivered to power plants, leading to underutilisation of installed generation capacity, increased outages, and inefficiencies in power production,” the minister said.

To address this challenge, the minister suggested “scaling up renewable energy solutions, particularly off-grid and mini-grid systems”.

“Renewable energy offers a cost-effective and sustainable pathway to expand access without overburdening the national grid,” he said.

He also called for the integration of additional renewable energy into the grid. The minister said this will help diversify energy sources and reduce overall generation costs, particularly by lowering dependence on gas-fired power.

“Integrating utility-scale solar, hydro, and other renewables will also enhance energy security and support climate objectives,” he said.

“This will require investments in grid monitoring and control systems and system planning to effectively manage intermittency while maintaining grid stability.

Away from the power sector, Adelabu, whom observers suggest is eyeing the Oyo governorship seat in the 2027 elections, did not confirm if he is contesting for the post.

President Bola Tinubu gave appointees at the federal level a March 31st deadline to resign if they have political ambitions.

But the minister says he still has some days until the deadline. He insisted that, either at the national or subnational level, he aims to serve.