Sir Joseph Ezeokafor: Prominent Businessman Allegedly Kidnapped in Anambra During Solo Prayer Outing
- Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, billionaire founder of Jezco Oil and father of Instagram star Jowizaza, was abducted from a Catholic prayer ground in Awka
- Reports indicate that armed gunmen allegedly stormed the remote prayer site on Tuesday, August 5, 2026, seizing the businessman
- Sir Joseph Ezeokafor's community’s annual New Yam Festival has reportedly been postponed due to his alleged disappearance
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, the Anambra-born billionaire behind the Jezco Group of companies and father of popular Instagram personality Jowizaza, was kidnapped in the early hours of Tuesday, 5 August 2026, from a Catholic prayer ground in Ifite, Awka, Anambra State.
Source: Facebook
Lawyer Chukwudi Iwuchukwu shared details on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, several days after the alleged abduction, confirming that the businessman remained in the hands of his captors and had still not been released despite circulating reports suggesting otherwise.
According to him in a Facebook post, the armed gunmen allegedly arrived at the remote prayer site on the mountain and seized him while he was praying before he was taken 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.
The business mogul had travelled to the grounds without any security personnel, a deliberate choice he made every month out of personal conviction that a holy prayer ground should not be surrounded by bodyguards.
Iwuchukwu described Ezeokafor as the richest man from the community and said the reported incident had affected preparations for the community’s annual New Yam Festival.
According to the lawyer, the Jezco founder's community has reportedly postponed the festival, an unusual decision which he attributed to the circumstances surrounding the businessman’s alleged abduction.
Why Ezeokafor was at the prayer ground
The family stated that Ezeokafor was himself the financier behind the construction of the prayer house and the access roads leading to it, as part of his long-standing dedication to the Catholic Church.
His monthly visits to the site were quiet, unannounced, and without fanfare — a personal ritual rooted in gratitude to a God he credits with transforming his life from that of an orphan into one of Nigeria's most prominent businessmen.
His commitment to that routine, and his decision to leave his security detail behind, ultimately left him exposed on the night of the attack.
Sir Joseph Ezeokafor's family's concerns
As of August 11, 2026, the family stated that the alleged kidnappers had made no contact with them whatsoever, leaving relatives in a state of deep anxiety.
Arise TV reported on the abduction, noting Ezeokafor's stature as the founder and chief executive of Jezco Oil, an integrated energy conglomerate with operations spanning fuel retail outlets across Nigeria, a lubricant brand widely popular in the south-east, and a trading arm that imports base oil for sale to major engine oil manufacturers in the country.
The family appealed to the public not to spread unverified information about his release, stressing that they remain in the dark as they await any word on the safety and whereabouts of their patriarch.
The Facebook post detailing the alleged abduction of Sir Joseph Ezeokafor is below:
Who is businessman Sir Joseph Ezeokafor?
Born on April 30, 1952, in Ekwulobia, Anambra State, Sir Joseph Ezeokafor is a renowned Nigerian billionaire businessman and founder of Jezco Oil and Jezco Group Nigeria Limited with a reported net worth of over $2 billion.
Ezeokafor founded Jezco in 1980 and made it a fully licensed oil service and marketing company in Nigeria by 1988.
The businessman later expanded into manufacturing, with a lubricant factory, a plastic production plant, and a fuel dispenser assembly line—diversifying his empire while creating jobs and boosting the economy.
He is a devoted Christian and husband to Lady Veronica Ezeokafor and a father of seven children, including his first son, popular Nigerian socialite and internet personality Joseph Ezeokafor Jr (Jowizaza), who now serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of his company.
Aside from his business strides, Ezeokafor is also known for his philantropic works.
During the COVID-19 crisis, he donated ₦20 million to the Anambra State government and distributed food items worth millions to his community in Ekwulobia.
His generosity has also extended to political support as well, donating ₦50 million to APGA to back local leadership and development.
Italy-based businessman arrested by NDLEA
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported about the arrest of businessman Joseph Cyril by Nigeria's National Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Enugu's Akanu Ibiam International Airport for attempting to smuggle nearly 100 wraps of illicit substances.
The 30-year-old business mogul, who swallowed the illicit substances in exchange for €3,500 to fund his family’s relocation, underscored the desperate measures some individuals take to escape challenging circumstances.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
