Days after the release of some pupils, teachers and the principal abducted from a school in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, gunmen have kidnapped the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, Igbojaye, in Budo Aare.
The gunmen are demanding a N30 million ransom for his release of headmaster whose school is situated in the Itesiwaju Local Government Area.
The 60-year-old educationist, Mr. Kolawale Mathew Owoade, was reportedly abducted on Saturday evening while returning from his farm in Budo Aare.
Speaking on the incident, the victim’s son, Abiola Owoade, said the kidnappers contacted the family shortly after the abduction using his father’s mobile phone.
“The incident happened when my father was returning from his farm at Budo Aare within this local government area. Shortly after the abduction, the kidnappers contacted the family using the victim’s mobile phone and demanded a ransom of N30 million for his release,” he said.
Abiola disclosed that a search party later recovered the victim’s motorcycle abandoned in a bush on Sunday morning.
“At about 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026, a search team recovered his motorcycle abandoned in the bush,” he added.
He appealed to the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, as well as hunters and local vigilantes to intensify efforts to secure his father’s release.
The abduction has sparked concern among the victim’s colleagues and members of the education community in Itesiwaju Local Government Area, who described the incident as disturbing.
Confirming the incident on Monday, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security operatives had launched efforts to rescue the victim and apprehend those responsible.
“I can confirm to you that a farmer, Mathew Owoade, was kidnapped at his farm in Budo Aare, and efforts are on to rescue the man unharmed and arrest the perpetrators,” Ayanlade said.
