Father of Nigerian billionaire kidnapped
Nigerian billionaire businessman and founder of Jezco Oil and Jezco Group, Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, has reportedly been kidnapped in Anambra State.
According to Daily Post, Ezeokafor, who is also the father of Nigerian social media personality Jowizaza, was allegedly abducted while he was praying on a mountain in Awka, the state capital.
The incident was made public by lawyer Chukwudi Iwuchukwu in a social media post on Sunday.
According to the lawyer, Ezeokafor had gone to the mountain alone for prayers without his usual security personnel and police officers attached to him.
Iwuchukwu said the businessman was allegedly taken away by unidentified gunmen during the prayer session.
The suspected kidnappers were said to have moved him to an undisclosed location, leaving his family and associates without information about his whereabouts.
The reported abduction has caused concern in Ekwulobia, Anambra State, where Ezeokafor is from.
Residents of the community are said to have been unsettled since news of the incident emerged.
The lawyer also claimed that the community had taken the unusual step of postponing its annual New Yam Festival following the reported abduction.
According to the account, the festival had not previously been postponed, but community members decided against holding the celebration while the family of the businessman was facing the crisis.
Ezeokafor is regarded as one of the prominent businessmen from Ekwulobia and is known for his involvement in the oil and business sectors through Jezco Oil and Jezco Group.
The circumstances surrounding the reported kidnapping, including the identity of those behind the incident and the whereabouts of the businessman, remained unclear at the time of the report.
There was also no confirmed information on whether the kidnappers had contacted the family or made any demands.
