The defamation trial of African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, was abruptly halted on Monday after a heated exchange between two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) disrupted proceedings at the Federal High Court.

Trouble began when Sowore’s lead counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), requested an adjournment, arguing that court documents needed for the cross-examination of a DSS witness had only been released to him on August 3 despite being approved days earlier. He said more time was needed to review the materials and prepare his defence.

The request was strongly opposed by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), who accused the defence of deliberately delaying the case. Kehinde urged the court to reject the application and claimed the defence had consistently employed tactics that slowed the trial.

The accusation triggered a fiery response from Olumide-Fusika, who rejected claims of delay and accused the DSS lawyer of unfairly attacking him. The exchange quickly escalated into a shouting match, creating tension in the courtroom and forcing the judge to intervene.

Presiding Judge Justice Mohammed Garba Umar condemned the conduct of both lawyers, warning that any further misconduct could lead to disciplinary action. Declaring that he could no longer continue with the hearing under the circumstances, the judge adjourned the case to September 20, 2026, for continuation of the defence. Kehinde later apologised to the court, admitting that the courtroom confrontation had lowered the standards expected of the legal profession.