Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has formally terminated the services of his legal counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Ejiofor had represented Kanu and IPOB in numerous court cases since 2015.
In a letter dated July 22, 2026, and addressed to Ejiofor, the IPOB leader said the correspondence served as a formal termination of the lawyer’s legal representation, following previous “direct verbal communication”.
Kanu, who is being held at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, reportedly wrote the letter from the custodial facility.
The sender’s address on the letter reads: “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Sokoto Correctional Centre, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria.”
An NBA stamp was appended to the letter alongside a notary public stamp bearing the name Kelechi D. Ogbonna.
A copy of the letter was published on X by Aloy Ejimakor, a legal consultant to Kanu, and the link to the post was shared with journalists.
In the letter, Kanu said that despite the earlier verbal termination of Ejiofor’s legal services, the lawyer continued to act as counsel to the separatist group.
Kanu stated that, with effect from the date of the letter, Ejiofor no longer has the legal authority to represent him, his family or IPOB.
Citing the IPOB Code of Conduct, Kanu said he has the power to appoint and dismiss any erring principal officers of the proscribed organisation.
Kanu instructed Ejiofor to refrain from representing or speaking on behalf of him, his family or IPOB.
The IPOB leader also directed the lawyer not to disclose confidential information obtained during the course of his legal representation.
“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me under the Code of Conduct, I hereby reaffirm that any authority previously granted to you to represent IPOB has been withdrawn,” the letter reads.
“Consequently, any purported mandate, instruction, or authority claimed to derive from any individual or body acting contrary to, or without, the authority recognised by the IPOB Code of Conduct is not recognised by IPOB and cannot serve as a lawful basis for you to hold yourself out as the legal representative of IPOB or to make representations on its behalf.
“Refrain entirely from making any public statements, comments, interviews, press releases, or social media posts purporting to speak on my behalf, on behalf of my family, or on behalf of IPOB, or from disclosing or relying upon confidential or privileged information acquired during your retainer.
“Cease and desist from presenting or portraying yourself, directly or indirectly, as my legal representative or as the legal representative of IPOB in any forum, court or public space.
“Take all appropriate procedural steps required by law to cease acting as my legal representative on record in any matter in which you remain listed, including filing the necessary notices where applicable.
“During the course of your representation of me and IPOB over several years, you acquired confidential, privileged and legally protected information relating to my legal affairs, my family and the affairs of IPOB.
“Those obligations of confidence survive the termination of your retainer and remain binding indefinitely under the applicable rules governing legal practitioners.”
