Finger pointing and blame have erupted within the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its defense team following the sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment.
Former lead counsel Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq., who was debriefed from the case in late 2024, issued a scathing statement titled “When Justice Became a Performance: The Tragic Consequence of Turning Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial into Content.”
He accused the current defense team of unseriousness and pursuing poorly thought legal strategies that led to a catastrophic outcome.
Ejiofor said he had intended to remain silent out of exhaustion and respect for the sensitivity of the moment, but the avalanche of calls and messages from IPOB supporters compelled him to speak.
He recalled steering the case for nearly a decade, securing landmark victories and enduring threats and assassination attempts.
According to him, the legal team he led was on the verge of another breakthrough after the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted Kanu in 2022.
He alleged that sensitive details were disclosed by Kanu to new lawyers who then derailed the process. Ejiofor described the current team as “bloated, delusional entertainers‑in‑wigs” who turned the trial into a circus.
“Instead of crafting legal strategy, they crafted Instagram stories. Instead of mastering case law, they mastered camera angles. At every court session, their priority wasn’t research or preparation, it was posing, filming, updating, grandstanding, and going viral,” he wrote.
Kanu’s Wife Calls for Unity and Healing
Ejiofor argued that the defense encouraged self‑representation despite court warnings, leading to a conviction that could have been avoided.
He lamented that respected Senior Advocates of Nigeria such as Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, and Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, were sidelined while “mediocre adventurers hijacked a matter of international significance and reduced it to a TikTok legal carnival.”
He concluded that any rescue effort must begin with cleaning up the damage inflicted by “self‑advertising jesters” and restoring sober, competent advocacy.
However, Kanu’s wife, Uchechigeme Anyanwụụtụtụ Okwu‑Kanu, sought to calm tensions. In a statement, she acknowledged Ejiofor’s righteous anger but urged restraint.
“I will ask us all to put an end to apportioning blames and deepening divisions. What matters now is unity, healing and collective strength,” she said.
She reminded IPOB members that justice and dignity are shared responsibilities, not individual pursuits. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu needs every hand, heart and voice to rebuild trust and move forward with purpose. In healing, compassion goes over conflict and wisdom must be shown over ego,” she added.
Uchechigeme called on IPOB’s Directorate of State (DOS) to create a structured channel for members to raise concerns and questions, stressing that professionalism and civility must guide communication. She warned that continued chaos would only worsen the movement’s challenges.
“Enough of the write‑ups I see here. We are all in this together and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is in front, standing as the Iroko that he is. Their decision to convict him is the beginning of greater glory as they have set him on a global purview with those he leads,” she said.
Her appeal comes as IPOB supporters grapple with the fallout of the conviction, balancing anger at perceived legal missteps with calls for unity and resilience.
In the meantime, Mr Kanu has been sent to far away Sokoto Maximum Prison in Sokoto State where he may serve out his term. However, his lawyers have vowed to appeal and upturn the judgement at a higher court.
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