The daughter of kidnapped businessman and Jezco Group Chairman, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, has accused her younger brother, Eberechukwu Ezeokafor, popularly known as Jowizaza, of contributing to the circumstances surrounding their father’s abduction.
Blessing Ezeokafor, described as the businessman’s first child, made the allegations in a series of social media posts while appealing for the safe release of her father.
According to Blessing, her brother’s flamboyant lifestyle and portrayal of the family’s wealth on social media allegedly gave kidnappers the impression that the family had substantial financial resources.
She claimed that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N700 million but later increased the amount to N1.5 billion.
Blessing alleged that Jowizaza’s public display of wealth contributed to the kidnappers’ perception that the family could afford the higher ransom.
She further claimed that the family was not as financially comfortable as portrayed online, alleging that they were already facing substantial debts.
In one of her posts, Blessing accused her brother of being responsible for the deterioration of their father’s company before he was removed as a director and placed on a monthly salary of N1 million.
She also questioned how her brother could agree to pay N700 million when, according to her, he did not have N100 million in liquid cash.
“Why Jowizaza my brother? You are the cause of this madness. Social media noise, when we don’t have that money. You use audio money to make hoodlums think the money is available,” she wrote.
Blessing further alleged that the family was heavily indebted to financial institutions, claiming that the company owed FCMB about N40 billion as well as debts to Union Bank.
She also referenced an American company, Feedco, which she said she had introduced to the family, while questioning her brother’s continued display of wealth despite the alleged financial difficulties.
“Making noise, when we are owing bank N40 billion. And these people think the money is there, see what your madness exposing has done to us,” she said.
The distraught daughter subsequently appealed directly to the kidnappers, insisting that the family did not have the money they allegedly believed was available.
“Kidnappers they don’t have money, it is audio money, please leave my dad alone. Please release him, they are swimming in debt,” she wrote.
Blessing also defended her decision to make the allegations publicly after some social media users criticised her for revealing details about her brother and the family’s finances.
She said she was speaking publicly because she feared that withholding the information could lead the kidnappers to demand an amount the family could not afford, potentially putting her father’s life at greater risk.
“Some idiot are saying I should not talk what I know. So you want those kidnappers to think we have money and refused to give them and kill him there? I will now become fatherless,” she wrote.
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She said her primary concern was securing her father’s release and ensuring that he received his medication.
“At this point I need to talk so they can be talking reasonable of what we can provide. Dad needs his medication and I don’t want anything to happen to my dad,” she said.
The family dispute comes amid reports that Chief Joseph Ezeokafor was abducted last week in Ifite Awka, Anambra State.
According to earlier accounts, the businessman had reportedly gone alone to a mountain for overnight prayers without the security personnel and police officers who usually accompanied him.
He was allegedly abducted by unidentified gunmen during the prayer session and taken to an undisclosed location.
The circumstances surrounding the abduction and the identity of the suspected kidnappers remain unclear.
Blessing also criticised bloggers for what she described as exaggerating the family’s wealth, saying such reports could further complicate efforts to secure her father’s release.
“See coming to Facebook was the biggest mistake my brother made. We have simple life not exaggerating wealth. Any blogger that I see exaggerating our wealth again will have questions to answer,” she wrote.
Her comments have brought renewed attention to the security situation in Anambra State and the growing dangers associated with public displays of wealth, particularly in communities affected by kidnapping.
The allegations made by Blessing against her brother remain claims and have not been independently verified. There was also no immediate independent confirmation of the alleged ransom negotiations, the amounts demanded or the financial liabilities she cited.
The family is expected to continue efforts to secure Chief Ezeokafor’s safe release as concerns grow over his reported health needs and prolonged captivity.