Alexander Anene in Abuja
The lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has declared that any legal appeal will be “dead on arrival” unless it is backed by a concerted political strategy.
The statement comes days after a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, sentenced the IPOB leader to life imprisonment on terrorism charges on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
Ejiofor, in a detailed public statement issued on Monday, argued that the path to securing Kanu’s freedom was no longer in the courtroom alone, but in the corridors of power.
He called for an immediate end to “emotional reactions” and “misinformation,” which he fears are derailing a meaningful resolution.
“In seasons such as this, when emotions swell beyond measure, one is compelled to draw a sharp distinction between sober strategy and theatrical showmanship,” Ejiofor stated.
He emphasised that the next phase demands a “coordinated, discreet, and well-structured approach” led by Igbo political figures of the highest caliber. According to him, this necessary political vanguard should include South-East governors, federal cabinet members of Igbo extraction, and other nationally respected leaders.
“It has become imperative that Igbo political heavyweights and legal minds of enviable global repute immediately swing into coordinated action; an intervention where influence speaks far louder than dramatic press releases,” Ejiofor said.
The lawyer outlined a meticulous plan, stating that the first mandatory step must be a joint visit by this proposed political-legal taskforce to Kanu in detention to secure his explicit mandate and align on a unified strategy. Only after this groundwork and discreet engagement with the Federal Government, he argued, should a formal appeal be filed.
He issued a grave caution against rushing the legal process, warning, “Any appeal rushed to court at this moment, without groundwork, without political alignment, without strategic coordination, will arrive, tragically, dead on arrival, smothered under prejudice, technical pitfalls, and procedural quicksand.”
While acknowledging the “heartfelt outcry” from Kanu’s supporters worldwide, Ejiofor pleaded for calm and strategic focus, insisting that “online hostility, emotional eruptions, and public grandstanding” could sabotage the very outcome they seek.
He concluded with a message of resilience, telling supporters, “Hear this, clearly, calmly, confidently, all hope is not lost. Not now. Not yet. Not ever,” assuring them that with the right strategy and actors, they would ultimately prevail.
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