Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has formally disowned lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor, declaring him an "impostor" and insisting that he no longer represents the group or its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in any capacity. The dramatic disclaimer, issued on Thursday by IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful, marks the latest and most definitive chapter in a bitter legal and political feud that has exposed deep fissures within the separatist movement.
In a statement made available to newsmen, IPOB stressed that Ejiofor neither represents Kanu nor the pro-Biafra group. The group recalled that Kanu had, in a letter issued from Sokoto Prison, announced Ejiofor's sack as his counsel and as IPOB's lawyer. IPOB subsequently accused Ejiofor of failing to provide effective legal representation for Kanu in his terrorism trial.
The statement read: "For the avoidance of doubt: Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu debriefed and sacked Mr. Ejiofor for gross incompetence and professional misconduct—specifically, for mishandling our leader's case and allowing an impermissible civil stay to be used to overturn a criminal discharge. Our leader removed him completely and permanently".
IPOB further alleged that since his dismissal, Ejiofor had "hired himself out to enemies of our leader" and had been appearing to advocate for interest groups working against Kanu's release. "He does not speak for us. He does not represent us. He is an impostor," the group declared.
In a move that signals the depth of the rift, IPOB issued a stark warning to media houses, threatening legal action against any outlet that continues to refer to Ejiofor as IPOB counsel or Kanu's lawyer. "While Mr. Ejiofor may, in his personal capacity as a lawyer, represent individuals wrongly accused, he is not to be referred to as IPOB counsel," the statement read. "Any media house that publishes or refers to Ifeanyi Ejiofor as IPOB counsel will be made to face the full wrath of the law".
The group urged all Biafrans to remain vigilant and reject any person or group that seeks to misrepresent IPOB or undermine the authority of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Ejiofor, however, has maintained a defiant stance, insisting that he remains the legal representative for IPOB despite disengaging as Kanu's personal lawyer. In a statement posted on his Facebook page in July, Ejiofor clarified that he had "personally disengaged" himself from representing Kanu since December 2023, long before Kanu's conviction and life sentence. "For the avoidance of doubt, and for the sake of clarity, I wish to state unequivocally that I personally disengaged myself from the legal representation of Nnamdi Kanu in any capacity since December 2023," he said.
Ejiofor further argued that his firm remained in "effective and continuous retainership as solicitors to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)". He noted that his team had secured the discharge and acquittal of over 200 people accused of being IPOB members in several high courts across Nigeria between December 2023 and 2025. He also attached to his statement a letter addressed to him and signed by Chika Edoziem, leader of the third Directorate of the State (DOS) of IPOB, which he claimed reaffirmed his standing.
The dismissal, however, has been reaffirmed multiple times by IPOB. In late July, IPOB dismissed as "dead on arrival" any document purporting to reappoint Ejiofor. The group insisted that "Kanu sacked Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and he remains sacked". IPOB also accused Ejiofor of sabotaging Kanu's case and warned that he remained free to represent other clients but not the movement.
The development comes amid heightened tensions over Kanu's legal fate. The IPOB leader was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, but his appeal has faced delays, with his family recently disclosing that Kanu wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal requesting the immediate listing and hearing of his pending cases. The prolonged legal battle has created a vacuum in IPOB's leadership and legal representation, with conflicting claims over who speaks for the group and its leader.
IPOB has made it clear that the only recognized legal team is that appointed by Kanu. The group's warning to the media underscores its determination to control the narrative around its legal representation and prevent what it perceives as unauthorized voices from speaking on its behalf. For Ejiofor, the battle is not just about legal representation but about his professional reputation and his standing within the separatist movement he has long championed.
As the feud continues to unfold, the public and media face the challenge of navigating competing claims over who legitimately represents IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB's latest statement, however, leaves little room for ambiguity: in the group's view, Ifeanyi Ejiofor is no longer its lawyer, and anyone who says otherwise does so at their own risk.
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