The kidnapping of billionaire businessman Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, father of socialist billionaire, Jowizaza, has thrown his hometown of Ekwulobia in Anambra State into mourning and uncertainty.
In response, community leaders have taken the rare decision to postpone the town’s annual New Yam Festival — a move said to be unprecedented in the community’s history.
Residents reportedly felt that celebrating while one of their prominent sons remains in captivity would be inappropriate. For many, the festival should wait until there is hope and relief over his safe return.
DrumAfricanews reports that billionaire businessman and founder of Jezco Oil and Jezco Group, Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, was reportedly abducted in Awka, Anambra State capital, after allegedly going alone to a mountain for overnight prayers.
Ezeokafor was reportedly kidnapped last week at Ifite Awka, while Anambra State government and security was trying to control the story and ensure his release, the delay has led the information into public domain.
The alleged abduction was disclosed in a Facebook post on Sunday by a lawyer, Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, who claimed that the businessman had gone to the mountain without his security aides and police personnel who usually accompanied him.
According to Iwuchukwu, unidentified gunmen allegedly seized 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,” he wrote.
Iwuchukwu alleged that Ezeokafor had gone alone to “pray and seek the face of God” without his security details and police escorts, despite usually moving with them.
He further claimed that the businessman was abducted during the prayer session and taken to an unknown destination.
The reported incident has thrown Ekwulobia, Ezeokafor’s hometown, into anxiety, with residents reportedly mourning his disappearance.
Iwuchukwu described Ezeokafor as the community’s wealthiest man and said the reported abduction had disrupted preparations for its annual New Yam Festival.
According to him, the community postponed the festival, which he described as an unusual decision, because of the circumstances surrounding the businessman’s reported 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.
However, the circumstances surrounding Ezeokafor’s reported abduction, his current whereabouts and the identity of those allegedly responsible remain unclear.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the Anambra State Government, the police or Ezeokafor’s family confirming the incident.
