The legal representative for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq., has disclosed that he survived five assassination attempts during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement released on Monday titled “Crucial Clarifications Regarding The Case/Trial Of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Ejiofor revealed the harrowing experiences he endured between 2015 and 2021, alleging that individuals acting on specific orders attempted to take his life on five separate occasions.
Ejiofor emphasized that these assassination attempts were not motivated by any criminal activity on his part but rather by his role in defending Nnamdi Kanu and advocating for the cause of IPOB, referred to as Ezigbo Umuchineke.
“I joined Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team in December, 2015 and eventually took on the role of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s lead Counsel and also as the IPOB General/Lead Counsel in January, 2016,” he said adding, “Since 2015, I have diligently performed my professional duties in defending Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB while upholding ethical standards.”
“Despite achieving significant and unprecedented victories/milestone in securing the release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other comrades in 2017 and 2018 respectively, I have also worked tirelessly to secure the release of numerous IPOB members from detention facilities – both at the federal and state levels – possibly numbering in their thousands.”
Ejiofor asserted that his endeavors were not without consequences, noting that both governmental and non-governmental entities endeavored to end his life through various unjust methods. One such instance was the invasion of his ancestral residence in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State, by Nigerian security forces.
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He revealed that this “murderous operation” was financed by an individual from his own community, whom he described as a malevolent force.
Ejiofor said, “During this operation, many civilians were murdered in their prime and over 30 houses were burnt, all in a bid to eliminate me at all costs and by any means for being Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Attorney and IPOB Lead counsel.
“Since their evil mission was not completely accomplished on the 2nd of December 2019, another bloody invasion of my ancestral home was carried out in June 2021, this time with specifics, confirming my availability at the time of invasion.
“Acting on this strong lead, my house was invaded at the wee hours of the morning of 6th of June 2021, and my personal assistant in the person of Mr. Samuel Okoro was gruesomely murdered, his dead body dumped in the boot of my car and subsequently set ablaze at Neni, in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“Three of my wards, to wit; Ugochukwu Lawrence, Felix Okafor and Ikenna Chibuike abducted during this bloody invasion are still in detention till date, even as I struggle day in and day out to secure their release. Between the year 2015 and 2021, I have escaped five consecutive brutal assassination attempts ostensibly carried out by those who were on specific instruction to kill me by any means and at all cost, and not because I am a criminal but because I was defending Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Ezigbo Umuchineke.”
Continuing, Ejiofor maintained that those seeking to kill him had not relented.
He said that their identities and strategies had been exposed and narrowed down to regular actors who had resorted to funding cults aiming to assassinate him.
