The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has officially ended the services of his longtime lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, directing him to immediately stop representing him, his family, and the pro-Biafra movement in any capacity.
Kanu communicated the decision in a letter dated July 22, 2026, from the Sokoto Correctional Centre, where he is currently being held.
In the letter, the IPOB leader stated that Ejiofor had already been informed verbally that his legal services were no longer needed, noting that the latest correspondence was intended to formally document the decision.
“Your engagement as my personal legal representative was previously terminated by me through direct verbal communication, upon which you ceased acting in that capacity. This letter serves, in part, as a formal written confirmation of that earlier termination,” Kanu wrote.
He also revoked every authority previously granted to Ejiofor to represent him or speak on behalf of his family and IPOB.
Kanu maintained that, under the IPOB Code of Conduct, only the movement’s leader has the authority to appoint, suspend, or remove principal officers and representatives unless those powers have been specifically delegated.
He instructed Ejiofor to stop issuing statements, granting interviews, publishing press releases, or making social media posts in the name of IPOB, himself, or members of his family.
The separatist leader further directed the lawyer to discontinue presenting himself as legal counsel to IPOB or its leader before any court, institution, or public gathering and to withdraw from any legal proceedings in which he remains listed as counsel for Kanu or the organisation.
According to the letter, all powers previously granted to Ejiofor have been withdrawn with immediate effect.
Kanu also warned against the disclosure or misuse of confidential information obtained during the lawyer-client relationship.
“Any unauthorised disclosure, publication, exploitation or misuse of confidential or privileged information acquired during the course of your retainer may constitute professional misconduct and may attract disciplinary proceedings before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), in addition to any other legal remedies available,” he stated.
The development comes weeks after members of Kanu’s legal team explained the circumstances surrounding Ejiofor’s removal from his defence.
In June, a member of the defence team, Barrister Christopher Chidera, said the IPOB leader disengaged Ejiofor following disagreements over the handling of critical legal issues in the case.
Chidera alleged that mistakes made by the former legal team prolonged Kanu’s detention and reduced opportunities that could have strengthened his legal challenge, particularly after the Court of Appeal judgment delivered in October 2022. He also claimed that concerns over legal strategy and internal disagreements ultimately influenced Kanu’s decision to replace his longtime counsel.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
