Headline:
Kanu Formally Ends Ejiofor’s Legal Representation, Issues Fresh Directives
Detained IPOB leader withdraws all authority previously granted to longtime counsel and outlines conditions on future conduct.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has officially ended the services of his longtime lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor. In addition to terminating the legal relationship, Kanu withdrew every authority previously granted to the lawyer to represent him personally, his family, or the IPOB movement in any capacity.
The decision was conveyed in a four-page letter dated July 22, 2026, which Kanu reportedly wrote from the Sokoto Correctional Centre, where he is currently being held. In the correspondence, he explained that although Ejiofor's appointment had earlier been revoked verbally, the latest letter was intended to serve as the formal written confirmation of that decision.
Kanu stressed that Barrister Ejiofor no longer possesses any authority—whether direct, implied, or otherwise—to act, speak, or make representations on behalf of him, his family, or IPOB. Citing Section II, Subsection A of the IPOB Code of Conduct, he maintained that the exclusive power to appoint, suspend, or remove principal officers and legal representatives rests solely with the leader of the movement unless that authority has been expressly delegated.
The IPOB leader further instructed Ejiofor to immediately discontinue issuing press statements, granting interviews, publishing social media posts, or making any public pronouncements on behalf of him, his family, or the organisation. He also directed the lawyer to stop presenting himself as his legal representative or counsel for IPOB in any court, official engagement, or public forum, while taking the necessary legal steps to formally withdraw from all pending matters in which he remains counsel on record.
Kanu's letter also addressed the handling of confidential information obtained during the course of Ejiofor's legal representation. He warned that the lawyer must not disclose, publish, communicate, or make use of any privileged or confidential information acquired during the retainer without his express written approval or a valid court order. According to Kanu, any unauthorized disclosure of such information could amount to professional misconduct and may attract disciplinary action before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), in addition to any other legal remedies available under Nigerian law.
Responding briefly to inquiries about the development, Barrister Ejiofor simply stated, "It has nothing to do with me. Ndewo, my brother," without offering further comments on the contents of the letter or Kanu's directives. The latest development represents another notable twist in the legal and administrative matters surrounding the detained IPOB leader, whose ongoing terrorism trial before the Federal High Court continues to draw significant attention both within Nigeria and internationally.
