In a statement issued by Emma Powerful, the IPOB's spokesperson, the group said Fein had pitched his tent with the adversaries and was being used by them.
The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra has taken a swipe at American lawyer, Bruce Fein, over the latter’s comments on Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group.
In a statement issued by Emma Powerful, the IPOB's spokesperson, the group said Fein had pitched his tent with the adversaries and was being used by them.
Powerful particularly pointed out that Bruce’s grievances against Ejiofor started when the American requested Kanu to allow for the inauguration of government in exile, a request which the agitator declined.
On Thursday, Fein wrote Ejiofor urging the latter to immediately refrain from representing the agitator.
In the letter, obtained by SaharaReporters, Fein had 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 N5.6million.
Ejiofor, in a chat with SaharaReporters, debunked the allegations.
Reacting in a statement on Friday, IPOB noted, “We are baffled that Bruce Fein could belittle himself and reduce himself by allowing them to deceive him by talking like a demented fellow. How could a well intelligent and a professional lawyer be using this kind of words to his fellow lawyer in the world?
“The women in America sent Bruce Fein to Abuja to persuade our leader, Kanu, to order him and women to inaugurate a government in exile which when this aberration failed to materialise as it is unconscionable to be contemplating forming a Biafran government in exile when our leader is in the hand of our enemies. After this unsuccessful move to set up a government in exile, the grudges against Ifeanyi Ejiofor began to take form.
“These traitors in America and infiltrator in Finland thought that our Legal Representatives were the ones who stopped their gimmicks and antics, without knowing that IPOB had surpassed a government in exile.
“The powers conferred on Mr. Bruce Fein by our Leader vide the IPOB Lead Counsel is to be exclusively exercised in the United States of America and other foreign jurisdiction, with the exclusion of Nigeria.
“Pertinent to note is the fact that Mr. Bruce Fein set his feet in Nigeria shortly after the abduction and extraordinary rendition of our Leader vide the invitation letter extended to him by our Lead Counsel - Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, which visa issued in respect thereof still subsist till date.
“Several attempts to visit our leader either in Court or the DSS facility by Mr. Bruce Fein were all rebuffed by both the DSS and the Court respectively. All formal correspondences towards making those visits feasible were exclusively handled by the IPOB Lead Counsel.
“We, however, observed that Mr. Bruce Fein started avoiding our Lead Counsel after our Lead Counsel declined to cooperate with him in getting our leader to sign a totally strange document that could have negatively impacted on the status quo.
“From that moment, Mr. Bruce Fein pitched tent with sworn enemies and detractors of our struggle. No wonder he is today ranting from a foreign land.
“The general public is hereby, respectfully urged to disregard Mr. Bruce Fein's claims as they are baseless because he is being induced into ranting these infamous statements. We reiterate that the IPOB leadership has implicit and unshaken confidence in our erudite teams of lawyers, who have creditably distinguished themselves as a sound and indefatigable advocates.
“Mr. Bruce Fein is advised to focus on the international briefs provided to him to handle on behalf of our Leader, which we have not seen any tangible results since he started handling them in the USA and desist forthwith from further defaming our amiable Legal Luminary. IPOB appreciate and love his commitment and focus in handling our leader’s case.”