Fresh Twist: Ejiofor Says He No Longer Represents Nnamdi Kanu, Remains IPOB Lawyer

Former counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has clarified that he voluntarily stepped down from Kanu’s legal team in December 2023, nearly three years before the separatist leader formally ended his legal services.

Ejiofor made the clarification in a statement issued on Tuesday, following a letter reportedly written by Kanu on July 22 from the Sokoto Correctional Centre directing him to stop representing him, his family and the IPOB movement in any capacity.

According to Ejiofor, he has not served as Kanu’s personal lawyer or legal representative for his family since December 2023, insisting that claims suggesting otherwise misrepresent the facts.

He explained, however, that his law firm remains the officially retained legal representative of IPOB, stressing that the engagement with the organisation is separate from his former role as Kanu’s personal counsel.

Ejiofor disclosed that between December 2023 and 2025, his firm successfully secured the discharge and acquittal of more than 200 individuals facing prosecution over alleged membership of IPOB in courts across Abuja, Ebonyi and Abia states.

He further argued that while Kanu retained him as his personal lawyer in the past, the IPOB leader did not single-handedly appoint his firm as solicitors to the organisation.

According to him, that personal lawyer-client relationship ended in December 2023, long before Kanu’s recent directive.

“It is important to state that IPOB, as an organisation, has reaffirmed our position as its solicitors and legal representatives,” Ejiofor said.

“That professional relationship is based on a continuing legal mandate and cannot be retrospectively altered, invalidated or dictated by former leaders of the organisation.”

Ejiofor also questioned the authenticity of communications purportedly issued by inmates from correctional facilities.

Referring to provisions of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, he argued that any correspondence originating from a custodial centre should be duly authenticated by the appropriate correctional authorities before being relied upon.

He cautioned members of the legal profession and the general public against acting on unauthorised messages allegedly issued by individuals in custody without proper verification.

In the July 22 letter, Kanu reportedly withdrew any authority previously granted to Ejiofor to represent him, his family or IPOB, while directing the lawyer to cease issuing public statements on their behalf.

The detained IPOB leader also instructed Ejiofor to withdraw from all pending cases in which he still appeared as counsel on record.

Kanu further warned that any unauthorised disclosure of confidential information obtained during their previous lawyer-client relationship could amount to professional misconduct and potentially attract disciplinary proceedings before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).