Businessman and founder of Jezco Oil and Jezco Group, Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, has reportedly been kidnapped in Awka, Anambra State, after allegedly going alone to a mountain for overnight prayers.
Ezeokafor, who is also the father of Nigerian Instagram celebrity Jowizaza, was reportedly abducted last week at Ifite Awka, according to lawyer Chukwudi Iwuchukwu.
Iwuchukwu disclosed the alleged abduction in a Facebook post on Sunday, claiming that the businessman had gone to the mountain without his security details and police personnel who usually accompanied him.
According to the lawyer, unidentified gunmen allegedly abducted Ezeokafor while he was praying and took him to an undisclosed location.
“Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, a Nigerian billionaire businessman, the founder of Jezco Oil and the Jezco Group, who is also the father of Nigerian Instagram celebrity Jowizaza, was reportedly kidnapped last week from a bush in Awka, in Anambra State,” Iwuchukwu wrote.
He alleged that Ezeokafor had gone to the mountain “alone to pray and seek the face of God” without the security personnel who normally accompanied him.
Iwuchukwu said the businessman was allegedly taken away while engaged in prayers, describing the circumstances as one in which he was particularly vulnerable.
The reported incident has reportedly caused anxiety in Ekwulobia, the community where Ezeokafor hails from.
Iwuchukwu described the businessman as the richest man from the community and said the alleged abduction had affected preparations for the community’s annual New Yam Festival.
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According to him, the community postponed the festival following the reported incident, saying residents considered it inappropriate to proceed with the celebration while the businessman’s family was dealing with the alleged abduction.
“The community where he comes from, Ekwulobia, has been thrown into confusion and mourning ever since the news of the abduction broke in the community,” he said.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged kidnapping remain unclear, including the identity of the suspected abductors, their motive and the current whereabouts of the businessman.
There has also been no official confirmation of the incident from the Anambra State Government, the Nigeria Police Force or Ezeokafor’s family based on the information available.
The reported abduction comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping and other forms of criminal activity in parts of Anambra State and the wider South-East.
Ezeokafor, through Jezco Oil and Jezco Group, has established a prominent business presence in the oil and gas sector, while his family has also attracted public attention through his son Jowizaza’s social media activities.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts were reportedly ongoing to establish contact with the businessman and secure his safe release.
Further details are expected as security agencies and the family work to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported incident.