Human rights lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor has rejected claims that he received ₦10 million for representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), insisting that his legal services in the case were offered free of charge.
Ejiofor’s response followed reports that the leadership of IPOB disclosed details of payments allegedly made to him in connection with Kanu’s ongoing terrorism trial.
Earlier reports indicated that IPOB’s Finance Directorate, headed by Nnennaya Anya, stated that a total of $100,000 was paid to senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome and Ejiofor to handle Kanu’s legal defence.
In a subsequent statement titled “Additional confirmation of financial transaction, payment of ₦10,000,000.00 to Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor via Office Manager,” the group claimed that the amount was transferred on August 13, 2021, to an account linked to Ejiofor through his office manager.
However, in a rebuttal issued on Saturday, Ejiofor described the allegations as “patently untrue,” maintaining that he never received professional fees for representing Kanu.
He explained that any funds released by Kanu were directed to other members of the legal team, including Nnaemeka Ejiofor and Maxwell Okpara, as well as support staff involved in the case.
“It beats my imagination that such claims could be circulated without giving me the opportunity to clarify the facts,” Ejiofor said.
He also questioned the logic behind the alleged payment arrangement, arguing that if the funds were truly meant as professional fees for him, they would have been paid directly to his firm or personal account rather than through a colleague’s account.
Ejiofor further revealed that he had directed a colleague, identified as Barrister Chinwe, to publish the names of the lawyers who actually received the payments along with relevant transaction receipts to clarify the situation for the public.
He described the allegations as a deliberate attempt to distort facts following his public declaration that he handled Kanu’s legal defence on a pro bono basis.
The lawyer also urged media organisations to seek clarification from him before publishing or amplifying such claims in the future.