Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has formally terminated the services of his longtime personal lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and revoked all authority previously granted to him to represent Kanu, his family, or the IPOB movement . In a letter dated July 22, 2026, written from the Sokoto Correctional Centre, Kanu stated that Ejiofor's engagement as his personal legal representative had earlier been terminated verbally, and that the latest correspondence served as formal written confirmation of that decision . The IPOB leader also withdrew any authority previously granted to Ejiofor to act for or represent IPOB, insisting that the lawyer no longer had any express, implied, or ostensible authority to speak or act on behalf of the separatist group .
Citing Section II, Subsection A of the IPOB Code of Conduct, Kanu said the power to appoint, suspend or dismiss principal officers rests exclusively with the IPOB leader unless expressly delegated . He maintained that no individual, committee or former office holder acting outside the provisions of the IPOB Code of Conduct could validly appoint or retain legal representatives for the organisation . Kanu directed Ejiofor to immediately cease making public statements, granting interviews, issuing press releases, or publishing social media posts on behalf of him, his family, or IPOB . He also instructed the lawyer to stop presenting himself as legal representative of Kanu or IPOB in any court, forum, or public space, and to take necessary legal steps to withdraw from any pending matters where he remains counsel on record .
Kanu further reminded Ejiofor that the duty of confidentiality survives the termination of a lawyer-client relationship, warning that any unauthorised disclosure or misuse of privileged information could amount to professional misconduct and attract disciplinary proceedings before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, in addition to other legal consequences . He instructed Ejiofor to preserve all files and materials relating to his previous representation, saying they could become relevant in future legal proceedings . The development comes weeks after members of Kanu's legal team publicly explained that the IPOB leader disengaged Ejiofor following disagreements over the handling of key legal issues in his case, with allegations that several legal mistakes committed by the former team contributed to prolonging Kanu's detention .
Reacting to Kanu's termination letter, Ejiofor dismissed what he described as "the curious panic of those confronted by nothing but silence," insisting that he had exercised restraint despite repeated provocations . He alleged that Kanu had orchestrated campaigns of blackmail against him, filed frivolous petitions before the relevant professional body, and issued threats against him from detention . However, Ejiofor maintained that he had consistently been guided by professional ethics and had no intention of becoming responsible for the consequences of another person's actions, concluding with a warning that "time is fast running out" . As the legal battle between Kanu and his former counsel escalates, the IPOB leader remains in detention, with his ongoing terrorism trial continuing to attract national and international attention .
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