Human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has lamented that many criminals have infiltrated the group.
He stated that these criminal elements, coupled with the activities of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based figure, have done a lot to damage the credibility and image of the IPOB group.
Ejiofor made this assertion while speaking to journalists after his 50th birthday celebration in Asaba, Delta State on Tuesday.
Ejiofor while commenting on the current state of IPOB, stated that its legitimacy has been undermined by the activities of Ekpa, whom he accused of hijacking the struggle and turning it into a criminal enterprise.
He noted that before Ekpa’s influence, IPOB enjoyed widespread support among Igbo youths, with many proudly identifying with the movement.
However, public perception has since shifted due to criminal elements infiltrating the group.
Ejiofor argued that Ekpa’s actions, including alleged kidnappings, killings, and human trafficking, have tainted the IPOB movement. He said the situation has made it difficult to counter the Court of Appeal’s recent judgment affirming IPOB as a terrorist organization.
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“I have read parts of the Court of Appeal judgment, and one of the justices noted that while IPOB’s initial concept was widely accepted, criminal elements later hijacked it and turned it violent,” Ejiofor said.
He accused Ekpa of misleading followers and using them to commit crimes under the guise of IPOB. “I fought him in the media and took him to court, and the case is still ongoing. But at the time, many called me a betrayer for speaking out,” he said.
Ejiofor expressed concerns that Ekpa’s actions have damaged IPOB’s credibility, making it difficult to dissociate the group from terrorism allegations.
He suggested that the ongoing criminal activities linked to Ekpa could deter Igbo people from supporting the push for Biafra’s independence.
“If a referendum were conducted today, I doubt many Igbo people would vote for Biafra, given the atrocities committed by those claiming to represent the struggle,” he said. “How can you fight for your people’s freedom while harming them?”
The lawyer emphasized the need to distinguish between IPOB and Ekpa’s faction, warning that unless this is made clear, IPOB will continue to face terrorism allegations.
“Ekpa has destroyed the original IPOB concept and implanted criminality in its place,” he said. “The challenge now is how to undo the damage.”
Ejiofor also revealed that he has survived multiple assassination attempts by both state and non-state actors due to his legal advocacy for the separatist group.
He attributed the dangers he faces to his decision to defend IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu and other agitators, a legal brief he accepted in 2015 despite widespread fear among senior lawyers.
According to him, the threats began soon after he took on Kanu’s case, leading to three violent attacks on his life: on December 2, 2019; June 6, 2021; and September 21, 2021.
“I accepted the legal brief pro bono because I found that IPOB members were being wrongfully arrested and detained without cause,” he explained. “It is not a crime for one to express displeasure legally when things are not going as they should.”
Ejiofor recounted securing Kanu’s release in April 2017, only for the IPOB leader’s residence to be stormed by security forces months later, leading to multiple deaths and Kanu’s escape. In the aftermath, Ejiofor said he became a target.
“On December 2, 2019, at the instigation of someone from my hometown in Oraifite, who acts as a ‘thin god,’ my house was attacked. The second attack on June 6, 2021, was even bloodier—my assistant was killed, and his body taken away. The case remains in court,” he recounted.
The third attack, he said, came in September 2021 when his vehicle was riddled with bullets. “By His special grace, I am alive today to celebrate my 50th birthday, and I will forever remain grateful to the Almighty,” he said.
