Federal judge terms Nigerian Bar Association branch in Kano “a political bar sponsored” , threatens to declare 10 lawyers enemies of his court

A Federal High Court judge in Kano, Simon Amobeda, has termed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branch in Kano  “a political bar sponsored” to attack his court.

Justice Amobeda, who is the presiding judge of Court 3 of the Kano division of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday the 4th of March, 2025, first said, “There’s no Kano Bar. I will not recognize the Kano Bar.”

The judge was reacting to a suggestion for a date different from the 14th April, 2025 to which he adjourned Suit No: FHC/KN/CS/425/2024 between Abdullahi Abbas & 2 others and Central Bank of Nigeria and Secretary to Kano State Government, Kano State Government, Attorney General Kano, Kano and 51 others.

Abdul Adamu Fagge, SAN, who led counsel for the plaintiffs in the case, had called the attention of the judge to the fact that the date coincides with the Kano branch of the NBA’s monthly meeting.

Read Also:N1.96bn Fraud: Please allow me to negotiate with EFCC- Former AGF begs court

The judge, however, said he is oblivious of the existence of any NBA in the state, adding that “As long as I am here, I will not have interaction with Kano Bar.”

He also threatened to declare ten lawyers as enemies of his court because, according to him, “they were sent to this court.”

In similar instances of emotional outburst, Justice Amobeda had variously referred to “lazy lawyers” saying “despicable things” about him, and making applications for his recusal from the case.

During a court session on November 22, 2024, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Ademoyega Awomolo and Nureini Jimoh, appealed to the judge to be less emotional in court.

Awomolo particularly sai,d “I have seen the level of emotion in your lordship”, while pleading for circumspect.

Justice Amobeda had previously indicated his annoyance at an application for recusal filed by a defendent in the case before him.