Jezco Founder Spends 10th Night in Captivity as Daughter Raises Fresh Allegations Over Family’s Finances

Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, the 72-year-old Anambra-born industrialist and founder of Jezco Group, has spent his 10th night in the custody of kidnappers following his abduction at Ifite Awka, Anambra State, last week.

Ezeokafor was reportedly kidnapped last Tuesday while he was on his knees praying and seeking the face of God.

As efforts continue to secure his release, fresh concerns have emerged from within the family, with his eldest daughter, Blessing Ezeokafor, publicly raising questions about the family’s financial situation and the activities of her younger brother, Instagram personality Eberechukwu Jowizaza.

Blessing, a lawyer trained at Madonna University, took to Facebook in a series of posts in which she made several allegations concerning her brother’s lifestyle, the financial position of Jezco Group and circumstances surrounding her father’s abduction.

She alleged that the wealth and lavish lifestyle portrayed by Jowizaza on social media do not reflect the family’s actual financial standing.

According to her, the impression created by her brother’s online activities has led members of the public to believe that the Ezeokafor family possesses enormous wealth, which she described as a misrepresentation of the family’s true circumstances.

Blessing further alleged that the extravagant image projected online may have inadvertently exposed her father and made him a potential target for criminals.

She described her father as a quiet and humble man whose primary concern is his faith and service to God, arguing that he neither sought nor required the level of public exposure associated with his son’s social media lifestyle.

The lawyer also made serious allegations concerning the financial condition of Jezco Group, claiming that the company is facing significant financial challenges and indebtedness.

Among her claims was an allegation that Jezco Group owes First City Monument Bank (FCMB) about N40 billion and that one of the company’s bank accounts had been frozen over an unpaid loan.

She further alleged that Jowizaza had previously served as a director of the company but was removed from the position by his father following concerns over the management of the business.

According to Blessing, her brother was subsequently placed on a monthly salary of N1 million.

She also questioned how the family could raise a ransom allegedly demanded by the kidnappers, claiming that an initial N700 million ransom was reportedly being considered before the demand was allegedly increased to N1.5 billion.

Blessing questioned the financial capacity of her brother to meet such a demand, alleging that he could not currently boast of N100 million in liquid funds.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and the financial claims concerning Jezco Group, FCMB and the alleged ransom demands could not be independently confirmed at the time of filing this report.

Neither Jowizaza nor Jezco Group has, in the information available, publicly responded to the allegations.

The family dispute has nevertheless added another troubling dimension to the abduction of the industrialist, as attention increasingly shifts to the circumstances surrounding his kidnapping and the efforts to secure his safe return.

For the Ezeokafor family, the immediate priority remains the release of their patriarch.

Blessing, while making the allegations against her brother, also appealed to the kidnappers to release her father, insisting that the elderly businessman had done nothing to warrant being held captive.

With Ezeokafor now spending his 10th night in captivity, concerns are mounting over his health and wellbeing, particularly given his age and the reported need for regular medication for high blood pressure.

The prolonged detention of a 72-year-old man has heightened calls for urgent action by the relevant security authorities and for the safe and unconditional release of the businessman.

Whatever the truth or otherwise of the allegations flying around the family, the central concern remains the safe return of Sir Joseph Ezeokafor to his family.