AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE (ABT NEWS) — The harrowing abduction of 72-year-old oil magnate and industrialist Chief Sir Joseph Ebere Ezeokafor Sr. has escalated into a full-blown security and political crisis in Anambra State.
One week after the founder and CEO of Jezco Group of Companies and father of high-profile social media billionaire Joseph Ezeokafor Jr. (popularly known as Jowizaza), was snatched from a secluded prayer mountain in Ifite Awka, the state has been plunged into panic. With unconfirmed underground reports citing astronomical ransom demands reaching up to ₦1 billion, and viral social media rumors of his release officially debunked by law enforcement, the nightmare for Nigeria’s elite industrialist family is far from over.
Police Debunk “Release” Rumors as Search Intensifies
Contrary to widespread speculation circulating across digital platforms claiming that the elder statesman had walked free, the Anambra State Police Command confirmed that Chief Ezeokafor remains in kidnappers’ custody.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, revealed that tactical and intelligence operatives are currently conducting extensive operations across identified forest belts to secure the billionaire’s safe return:
“A serious operation is currently ongoing to save the elder statesman. We urge the public to disregard unverified claims regarding his release.” — SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Anambra State Police Command
Ezeokafor had visited the mountain at Ifite Awka alone for his routine monthly overnight prayers. Criminal gangs took advantage of his lack of security detail, ambushed him at the spiritual retreat, and disappeared with him into the wild.
Royal Lockdown: Ekwulobia Postpones Historic New Yam Festival
The gravity of the crisis is felt most acutely in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area, the ancestral home of the billionaire.
In a rare and unprecedented decree, the traditional ruler of Ekwulobia Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Igwe (Engr) Emmanuel Chukwukadibia Onyeneke, officially suspended the ancient Ekwulobia New Yam Festival (Iwa Ji), originally slated for September 4, 2026.
The monarch declared that it is culturally unthinkable and morally impossible for the kingdom to engage in celebratory banquets and cultural dances while their most prominent son and greatest community benefactor languishes in a kidnappers’ hideout. The postponement has brought commercial and cultural activity across Aguata to a standstill.
Where Is the Government? Public Outrage Mounts Over Soludo’s Priorities
Chief Ezeokafor’s brazen kidnapping in the state capital of Awka has triggered furious backlash against Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s administration.
Angry residents, civil society leaders, and business stakeholders across the South-East are asking hard questions:
- Political Distractions vs. Homeland Defense: Critics have called out the state government for its perceived preoccupation with national political maneuvering, 2027 electoral permutations, and alignment with the ruling federal establishment, while security within Anambra continues to deteriorate.
- Failed Security Promises: Despite repeated declarations of a “war on crime,” kidnapping cartels and armed syndicates continue to operate with near-total impunity in urban hubs, highways, and rural sanctuaries.
- Capital Flight & Fear: High-net-worth investors and diaspora indigenes, whom Governor Soludo has frequently urged to “Think Home” and invest locally, are now openly terrified of setting foot in Anambra, fearing that if a billionaire with state-wide influence is unsafe on a prayer mountain, ordinary citizens stand no chance.
A State Held by the Jugular
The abduction of the Jezco Group patriarch is not an isolated breach—it is the culmination of an acute security breakdown across Anambra. From deadly road ambushes along the Awka North corridor to fake job-interview traps and kidnapping cells operating across Idemili, Ihiala, and Aguata, criminal elements have turned kidnapping into a lucrative enterprise.
As the hours tick away and the EzeOkafor family endures an agonizing vigil, the public demands decisive action, not political rhetoric.
ABT NEWS will continue to provide real-time updates as security operations unfold
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