By Titus Eleweke, Editor, South East
AWKA, Anambra – Renowned human rights lawyer Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor has broken his silence over a purported letter claiming he was sacked as legal counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), clarifying that he voluntarily withdrew from representing Nnamdi Kanu in December 2023.
In a detailed statement issued on Tuesday titled “Setting the Record Straight: I Personally Withdrew from Nnamdi Kanu’s Legal Representation in December 2023: No Room for Mischief,” Ejiofor stated that his disengagement occurred long before Kanu’s eventual conviction and life imprisonment.
Ejiofor explained that Kanu never independently appointed his legal firm as solicitors to IPOB. Rather, his limited role stemmed solely from his position as Kanu’s personal lawyer—a role he formally relinquished after his last court appearance in December 2023.
”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 every capacity since December 2023, long before his eventual conviction and subsequent sentence,” Ejiofor said.
He described any narrative suggesting he was dismissed as a deliberate distortion of facts aimed at serving ulterior motives.
Ejiofor further emphasized that while his representation of Kanu ended, his firm remains under a valid, continuous retainer as legal solicitors to IPOB as an organization.
He noted that between December 2023 and 2025, his legal team secured the discharge and acquittal of over 200 alleged IPOB members across trials at the Federal High Court in Abuja, as well as the High Courts of Ebonyi and Abia States.
According to Ejiofor, IPOB has reaffirmed his firm’s mandate, adding that this professional relationship cannot be retrospectively altered or dictated by any former leaders of the movement.
Addressing the authenticity of the alleged sack letter, Ejiofor highlighted the strict legal guidelines governing communications originating from custody.
”Under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, any communication purportedly emanating from a convict or inmate must bear the imprimatur and official authentication of the officer in charge of the relevant correctional facility to ensure integrity and verification,” Ejiofor noted.
He advised legal practitioners and commentators to exercise caution and verify legal protocols before relying on unauthorized statements attributed to inmates.
”Let the facts and public records speak for themselves. Those genuinely interested in the truth should consult the records rather than manufacture narratives for personal ends,” Ejiofor concluded. “We continue moving forward.”