Sister blames brother’s ‘fake lifestyle’ for kidnappers’ N1.5bn ransom demand on Ezeokafor
Mercy Ajekigbe
Blessing Ezeokafor, daughter of the kidnapped businessman and chairman of Jezco group, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, has blamed her younger brother, Eberechukwu Ezeokafor, popularly known as Jowizaza, for allegedly contributing to the abductors’ decision to increase the ransom money.
Chief Ezeokafor was kidnapped on August 4, 2026 at a prayer mountain in Ifite village, Awka, Anambra State. He had reportedly left his residence for an early morning prayer session without his security personnel when the kidnappers abducted him.
In the effort to secure this release, the family had reportedly agreed to pay the N750 million ransom initially demanded by the kidnappers. However, their negotiation is said to have broken down after the abductors suddenly doubled the ransom to N1.5 billion.
Blessing, the abductee’s first child, further blamed her brother, Jowizaza, for this development in a facebook post. She alleged that her brother’s flamboyant lifestyle on social media may have created the impression among the abductors that the family possessed massive financial resources.
She said that the family did not have the amount of wealth as displayed online, calling it “audio money”. She claimed that contrary to the public image set by her brother, the family was already facing several financial setbacks.
She wrote: “Why Jowizaza, my brother? You are the cause of this madness. Social media noise when we don’t have the money. You use audio money to make them think the money is available. Imagine. N1 billion!”
“Fake life claiming what we don’t have. You are owing banks N40 billion. No hope to pay. You are owing Union Bank. You are struggling. Even the America company I introduced you guys, Feedco. Yet you keep making noise”
She also appealed to the kidnappers to release her father, insisting that the family did not have the massive resources they believed were available. Her post, however, drew criticism from users who claimed that she was not on good terms with her brother because of her comments about his financial debts.
She subsequently released another post addressing the criticism. She explained that her statements were intended to reshape the public perception of the family’s financial standing in the hope that the kidnappers would reconsider their decision. She also expressed concern about her father’s health and medical condition. She then blamed social media for the family’s situation, saying that they had lived a simple life without exaggerating their wealth.
“At this point, I need to talk so they can be talking reasonably about what we can provide. Dad needs his medication and I don’t want anything to happen to my dad. See, coming to facebook was the biggest mistake my brother made. We had a simple life, not exaggerating wealth…”
She also criticised bloggers for allegedly exaggerating the family’s financial standing, warning that further portrayals would be seriously addressed
