Popular Nigerian businessman and founder of Jezco Oil and Jezco Group, Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, has reportedly been kidnapped in Anambra State.
Ezeokafor, who is also the father of Nigerian social media personality Jowizaza, was allegedly abducted while praying alone on a mountain in Awka, the state capital.
The incident was disclosed by a lawyer, Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, in a social media post on Sunday.
According to Iwuchukwu, Ezeokafor had gone to the mountain for prayers without his usual security personnel and police officers attached to him.
The lawyer alleged that unidentified gunmen abducted the businessman during the prayer session and subsequently took him to an undisclosed location.
The reported incident has left his family and associates without information about his whereabouts.
The abduction has also sparked concern in Ekwulobia, Anambra State, where Ezeokafor hails from, with residents reportedly unsettled following news of the incident.
Iwuchukwu further claimed that the community postponed its annual New Yam Festival because of the reported abduction.
According to the lawyer, the festival had never previously been postponed, but community members decided not to proceed with the celebration while the businessman’s family was dealing with the situation.
Ezeokafor is regarded as one of the prominent businessmen from Ekwulobia and has built interests in the oil and business sectors through Jezco Oil and Jezco Group.
However, details surrounding the reported abduction remain unclear, including the identities of the alleged kidnappers and the businessman’s current whereabouts.
There was also no confirmed information at the time of reporting on whether the alleged kidnappers had contacted Ezeokafor’s family or made any demands.