The first child of kidnapped businessman and Chairman of Jezco Group, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, Blessing Ezeokafor, has accused her younger brother, Eberechukwu Ezeokafor, popularly known as Jowizaza, of contributing to their father’s predicament through what she described as his flamboyant lifestyle on social media.
Blessing alleged that her brother’s frequent display of wealth online made kidnappers believe that the family had huge financial resources, leading to an increase in the ransom demanded for their father from N700 million to N1.5 billion.
She made the allegations in a series of emotional posts on social media while appealing to the kidnappers to release her father.
The businessman, who is said to be the chairman of Jezco Group, was reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen. Details of his abduction, including the circumstances surrounding the incident and the identity of the kidnappers, remain limited in the material made available.
However, the development has triggered concerns over the safety of wealthy Nigerians and the impact of public displays of wealth on social media, particularly in an environment where kidnapping for ransom remains a major security challenge.
Blessing said her family was not as wealthy as her brother’s social media activities suggested.
According to her, the family was already heavily indebted and did not have the kind of cash the kidnappers appeared to believe was available.
She accused Jowizaza of creating a false impression of the family’s financial position by constantly displaying wealth online.
Blessing further alleged that her brother had previously been involved in the management of their father’s company but was removed as a director after what she described as poor performance.
She claimed that he was subsequently placed on a monthly salary of N1 million.
The allegations, however, could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate response from Jowizaza to the claims contained in his sister’s social media posts.
In one of her posts, Blessing directly blamed her younger brother for what she described as the “madness” surrounding their father’s abduction.
She alleged that Jowizaza agreed to pay N700 million to the kidnappers, a development she claimed prompted them to raise their demand to N1.5 billion.
She questioned how her brother could agree to such a huge ransom when, according to her, he did not have N100 million in liquid cash.
Blessing also alleged that the family owed about N40 billion to FCMB and had other outstanding debts, including an obligation to Union Bank.
She said her brother’s online display of wealth had created the impression that the family had access to large amounts of money, despite their alleged financial difficulties.
“Why Jowizaza my brother? You are the cause of this madness. Social media noise, when we don’t have that money,” she wrote.
She added that her brother had used what she described as “audio money” to create the impression that the family had substantial wealth, thereby attracting the attention of criminals.
Blessing appealed directly to the kidnappers, insisting that the family could not afford the ransom they were demanding.
“Kidnappers they don’t have money, it is audio money, please leave my dad alone. Please release him, they are swimming in debt,” she wrote.
The distressed daughter also defended her decision to discuss the matter publicly after some social media users criticised her for revealing details about the family’s finances and her brother’s lifestyle.
According to her, she decided to speak out because she was concerned that the kidnappers might continue to demand money based on an exaggerated perception of the family’s wealth.
She said her main concern was the safety of her father, who she said needed his medication.
“Some idiot are saying I should not talk what I know,” she wrote in another post.
“So you want those kidnappers to think we have money and refused to give them and kill him there? I will now become fatherless.”
Blessing said she needed to speak so that the kidnappers could understand what the family could realistically provide.
“At this point I need to talk so they can be talking reasonable of what we can provide. Dad needs his medication and I don’t want anything to happen to my dad,” she added.
She also described her brother’s use of social media as a major mistake, saying it had contributed to the family’s current predicament.
“See coming to Facebook was the biggest mistake my brother made,” she said, while warning bloggers against exaggerating the family’s wealth.
She said the family lived a relatively simple life and did not possess the level of wealth being portrayed online.
“Any blogger that I see exaggerating (our wealth) again will have questions to answer,” she warned.
The allegations have drawn attention to the risks associated with public displays of wealth in Nigeria, where kidnapping for ransom has remained a serious security problem.
Criminal groups have increasingly targeted individuals perceived to have the financial capacity to pay large ransoms. Business owners, professionals, politicians and other people considered wealthy have at different times been targeted by kidnappers.
The spread of social media has added another dimension to the problem. Individuals can easily share photographs and videos showing expensive cars, houses, holidays, designer clothing and other signs of affluence.
However, the circumstances surrounding Chief Ezeokafor’s abduction and whether social media activity influenced the kidnappers’ ransom demand remain allegations at this stage.
Blessing’s claims about the family’s debts and her brother’s role in the company also require independent confirmation.
The alleged increase in ransom from N700 million to N1.5 billion, if established, highlights the huge sums sometimes demanded by kidnappers and the difficult choices families face when loved ones are held hostage.
Families of kidnapping victims are often forced to balance negotiations with kidnappers against the need to involve security agencies, while also dealing with fear, uncertainty and financial pressure.
Blessing’s appeal also shows the human cost of kidnapping, as families are forced to publicly plead for the release of loved ones.
Her repeated reference to her father’s medication suggests that she is particularly worried about his health while he remains in captivity.
For the Ezeokafor family, the immediate priority remains the safe return of the businessman.
Blessing has made it clear that she wants the kidnappers to understand that the family cannot meet what she described as an unrealistic ransom demand.
She has also placed the blame for what she described as an exaggerated perception of the family’s wealth on her brother’s social media activities.
The allegations have yet to be publicly answered by Jowizaza, while the family continues to await the release of Chief Ezeokafor.