Legal practitioner Ifeanyi Ejiofor has clarified that he stepped down from serving as Nnamdi Kanu’s personal attorney in December 2023, long before Kanu’s recent attempt to end his professional engagement. Ejiofor issued this statement following an announcement from Kanu, currently held at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, which aimed to terminate the lawyer’s representation of him, his family, and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Ejiofor emphasized that he has not served as Kanu’s personal or family counsel for months, labeling any claims to the contrary as dishonest. Nevertheless, he asserted that his firm continues to act as the official solicitors for IPOB. Through this capacity, the firm has successfully defended over 200 members of the group in various courts across Abuja, Ebonyi, and Abia since the end of 2023.
The lawyer clarified that his firm’s role for the organization exists independently of Kanu’s personal legal matters. He stated that the organization has confirmed his firm’s status, noting that this relationship is protected by a mandate that cannot be canceled by former leadership figures. Furthermore, Ejiofor raised concerns regarding the validity of letters released from detention centers, citing the Nigerian Correctional Service Act to argue that such communications require official authentication.
This response was prompted by a July 22 letter from Kanu, which demanded that Ejiofor cease all representation and public statements on behalf of him and the organization. The letter also warned of potential disciplinary actions for any misuse of confidential information.
