Armed men have abducted a 60-year-old headmaster in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State and are demanding N30 million for his release.
The victim, Kolawale Mathew Owoade, popularly called Onaiye, is the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School in Igbojaye, Budo Aare.
According to his son, Abiola Owoade, the attack happened around 5pm to 6pm on Saturday, July 11, 2026, as the headmaster was returning from his farm in Budo Aare.
Shortly after, the abductors called the family using Mr. Owoade’s phone and asked for N30 million to free him.
A search team later found the headmaster’s motorcycle abandoned in the bush around 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 12.
Abiola is now appealing to security agencies to step in. He listed the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS, NSCDC, Amotekun, hunters, vigilantes and other groups, urging them to help rescue his father.
Colleagues and members of the local education community have also condemned the abduction.
Confirming the incident on Monday, Oyo State Police PRO, Olayinka Ayanlade, said efforts are ongoing to secure the man’s safe release and arrest those responsible. He identified the victim as “farmer Mathew Owoade” who was taken at his farm in Budo Aare.
The kidnapping comes just days after security operatives rescued over 40 pupils and teachers in Oyo. The students and staff from Baptist Nursery and Primary School Yawota, L.A. Primary School, and Community Grammar School Ahoro-Esienle had been held since the May 15 attacks and were freed on Friday, July 10, 2026, 56 days later.
