Crisis In IPOB Camp, Kanu Seeks To Replace Senior Lawyer

Barring any last-minute change, the leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, will replace one of his most senior lawyers as he has concluded plans to relieve him of his duties for poor handling his trial.

Kanu is reportedly angry that despite his alleged “incarceration for no crime”, the said lawyer has not been able to secure his release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Credible sources who spoke the LEADERSHIP Friday on the new development, said Kanu had expressed worry that his lawyers were not doing enough to represent him well and were only interested in his money.

Recently, a leadership crisis rocked the legal team as he continued his terrorism case with the federal government.

LEADERSHIP Friday had reported exclusively that Kanu has expressed worry over the seemly clash in his legal team over who is to lead the council in order to succeed at the court in the ongoing terrorism case with the federal government.

The embattled IPOB leader also expressed worry that the infighting within the legal team has prevented the team from presenting a formidable case.

This had come after Kanu’s American lawyer, Bruce Fein, had written to Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a member of Kanu’s legal team, urging him to immediately refrain from representing the IPOB leader.

In the letter, Fein noted that Ejiofor was not eligible to defend Kanu against the Nigerian government’s amended charges in the court, citing a pending lawsuit instituted by a businessman against Ejiofor over an alleged fraud of N5.6 million.

Part of the letter reads, “How can you be blind to what all the world can see and understand?

“According to the public record, you have a blatant conflict of interest in representing Nnamdi Kanu to defend against the federal government of Nigeria’s amended charges in the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division Holden in Abuja, Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 in violation of Rule 10 of the Nigerian Rules of Professional Conduct.

“The public record shows you have a conflicting interest to sabotage Nnamdi Kanu’s defense in exchange for leniency or a pardon in the pending fraud prosecution against you in FRN v. IFEANYI EJIOFOR & 2 ORS, CHARGE NO. CR/950/2020, Court No. 3, FCT High Court, Maitama, before Hon. Justice M.E. Anenih.

“The public record establishes that the fraud charges were not concocted by the FGN to preempt your representation of Nnamdi Kanu. The record shows the charges were triggered by a complaint from a private businessman with no political or other ulterior motive to defame or handicap you: Okpala Comas Ikechukwu.

“Among other things, he stated in a complaint to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission that you defrauded him of N5,600,000.00 by conspiring to represent forged land or title documents as authentic.”