Gunmen Abduct 60-Year-Old School Headmaster in Oyo State, Demand ₦30m Ransom

Gunmen have abducted a 60-year-old school headmaster, Kolawale Mathew Owoade, in the Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, subsequently demanding a ₦30 million ransom for his release.

Mr. Owoade, the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School in Igbojaye, Budo Aare, was ambushed on Saturday evening while returning from his farm.

According to the victim’s son, Abiola Owoade, the kidnappers initiated contact shortly after the abduction using the headmaster’s mobile phone to dictate their financial demands. A local search party later recovered Mr. Owoade’s abandoned motorcycle in a nearby forest on Sunday morning.

The family has issued an urgent appeal to the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) to intervene swiftly.

Confirming the incident on Monday, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, stated that security agencies are actively pursuing the kidnappers.

“I can confirm 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.

This recent abduction comes just days after joint security forces successfully rescued dozens of schoolchildren and teachers who had been held captive for nearly two weeks following coordinated school raids in the state. Local educators and community leaders have expressed deep concern over the persistent targeting of academic personnel in the region.