Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has formally terminated the legal services of his longtime counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, ending a professional relationship that spanned more than a decade.
In a letter dated July 22, 2026, Kanu confirmed that the decision followed an earlier verbal notification and directed Ejiofor to immediately cease representing him, his family and IPOB in any legal or public capacity.
The letter, reportedly written from the Sokoto Correctional Centre where Kanu is serving a life sentence on terrorism charges, stated that Ejiofor no longer had any authority to act on behalf of the separatist leader or the organisation.
Kanu said the correspondence was necessary because the lawyer allegedly continued to present himself as counsel despite being verbally disengaged.
Invoking the IPOB Code of Conduct, Kanu maintained that he possesses the exclusive authority to appoint and remove principal officers and representatives of the organisation.
He instructed Ejiofor to refrain from making public statements, granting interviews, issuing press releases or publishing social media posts on behalf of himself, his family or IPOB.
Kanu also directed the lawyer to withdraw from all pending matters in which he remained listed as counsel by taking the appropriate legal steps, including filing the necessary notices where required.
He further reminded Ejiofor that any confidential or privileged information obtained during the course of his legal representation remains protected and cannot be disclosed, stressing that such obligations continue even after the termination of the retainer.
“As the Leader of IPOB and the holder of the exclusive authority vested in me under the Code of Conduct, I hereby reaffirm that any authority previously granted to you to represent IPOB has been withdrawn,” the letter stated.
The letter bore the address of the Sokoto Correctional Centre and was accompanied by a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) stamp as well as a notary public stamp bearing the name Kelechi D. Ogbonna. A copy was published on X by Kanu’s legal consultant, Aloy Ejimakor.
The latest development follows years of changes in Kanu’s legal team.
In 2023, Kanu’s younger brother, Kingsley Kanunta, announced that Ejiofor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome had been dismissed by the family. Ejiofor rejected the claim at the time, insisting only Kanu had the authority to terminate his services.
Although Ejiofor stopped appearing for Kanu in 2023, the IPOB leader later engaged former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), to head his defence team in March 2025.
Agabi and the senior lawyers representing Kanu, however, withdrew from the terrorism trial in October 2025 after informing the Federal High Court that the IPOB leader had chosen to conduct his own defence.
Kanu was subsequently convicted on terrorism charges in November 2025, sentenced to life imprisonment and transferred to the Sokoto Correctional Centre, where he is currently serving his sentence.
