A 60-year-old headmaster in Oyo State has been abducted by gunmen who are demanding a ransom of N30 million for his release, in the latest security incident to hit the state just days after the rescue of dozens of previously kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers.
The victim, identified as Matthew Kolawale Owoade, popularly known as Onaiye, is the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State. According to reports, he was kidnapped on Saturday evening while returning from his farm in the Budo Aare area.
His son, Abiola Owoade, said the kidnappers contacted the family shortly after the abduction using the victim’s mobile phone and demanded #30m for his release.
He added that a search team recovered the headmaster’s abandoned motorcycle in a nearby bush on Sunday morning, raising further concerns about his safety.
The family has appealed to security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), local hunters and vigilantes, to intensify efforts to rescue the victim unharmed.
Colleagues and members of the education community in Itesiwaju Local Government Area have also expressed concern over the incident and called for swift action to secure his release.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the command had launched efforts to rescue the victim and apprehend those responsible.
“I can confirm that a farmer, Mr. Matthew Owoade, was kidnapped at his farm in Budo Aare, and efforts are ongoing to rescue him unharmed and arrest the perpetrators,” the police spokesperson said.
The abduction comes only days after Nigerian security forces rescued 39 schoolchildren and six teachers who had spent nearly two months in captivity following their abduction from schools in Oyo State. The rescue was announced by the Presidency on July 10 and was widely welcomed as a significant breakthrough in efforts to tackle kidnapping in the region.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over persistent insecurity in parts of Oyo State, particularly attacks targeting farmers, residents and education workers, despite ongoing security operations by federal and state authorities.
