Ejiofor Accuses Nnamdi Kanu’s New Lawyers of Mishandling Case, Leading to Life Sentence
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Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor. Source: Facebook
Nnamdi kanu Source: Facebook
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, former lead counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, has sharply criticised the lawyers currently handling the defence of the detained IPOB leader, accusing them of turning a sensitive legal battle into a spectacle lacking direction and expertise.
Kanu was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment by the federal high court in Abuja — a judgment that has stirred wide debate across the country and among Biafra supporters.
Ejiofor, in a statement released on Saturday, said he felt obliged to respond after receiving “countless calls” from supporters disturbed by the direction of the case. According to him, the legal achievements recorded between 2015 and 2023 — including the 2022 court of appeal ruling that discharged Kanu — were eroded because Kanu was allegedly misled into restructuring his defence team.
He said this decision resulted in the abrupt exit of his experienced legal group, including renowned SAN Mike Ozekhome, who had taken over leadership of the defence in 2022.
Ejiofor accused the new lawyers of trivialising an internationally monitored criminal trial, reducing it to “a performance for cameras rather than a fight for justice”.
“A high-profile criminal proceeding is not a circus,” he said.
“But once these entertainers in wigs forced themselves into the system, everything collapsed into a show — more focused on clout-chasing than defending the accused.”
He alleged that the team repeatedly prioritised filming, social media updates, and public grandstanding at the expense of legal research and courtroom preparation, leaving Kanu vulnerable.
According to Ejiofor, misinformation shared online by the new team frequently contradicted what transpired during court sessions, giving prosecutors multiple openings. He also questioned why respected legal authorities like Kanu Agabi and Onyechi Ikpeazu were sidelined at critical moments.
He described the situation as one hijacked by “mediocre adventurers obsessed with social media relevance,” and argued that the errors contributed to an outcome he believes could have been avoided.
Ejiofor emphasised that any genuine effort to rescue the case now requires a complete overhaul grounded in professionalism, reduced publicity, and credible expertise. He said only after such a “comprehensive clean-up” can internationally recognised legal experts intervene meaningfully.
Meanwhile, Kanu’s wife, Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, on Friday criticised her husband’s lawyers for failing to inform her about his sudden transfer to a correctional facility in Sokoto. Earlier, Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, had announced the transfer shortly after the conviction.
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