The judge further warned that if Sowore failed to enter his defence, the court would be left with no option but to foreclose his right to do so.
There was drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday as Justice Mohammed Umar, the judge presiding over the alleged defamation and cyberbullying case filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, insisted that the activist must immediately open his defence.
At the previous sitting, Justice Umar had suspended further proceedings and adjourned the matter to Thursday, June 4, 2026, to await the outcome of a decision by the Chief Judge on a letter written by Sowore alleging bias and requesting that the case be reassigned to another judge.
At Thursday's proceedings, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, informed the court that the prosecution had received a letter from the Chief Judge rejecting Sowore's request for the transfer of the case.
Relying on the Chief Judge's decision, Kehinde argued that the defendant should proceed to open his defence without further delay. Justice Umar agreed with the prosecution's position, insisting that the trial should continue on a day-to-day basis.
