Suspected gunmen have abducted the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, Igbojaye, Budo Aare, in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, 60-year-old Kolawale Mathew Owoade, popularly known as Onaiye. The abductors are reportedly demanding a ransom of N30 million for his release. According to The PUNCH, the incident occurred on……
Suspected gunmen have abducted the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, Igbojaye, Budo Aare, in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, 60-year-old Kolawale Mathew Owoade, popularly known as Onaiye.
The abductors are reportedly demanding a ransom of N30 million for his release.
According to The PUNCH, the incident occurred on Saturday, July 11, 2026, between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. when the victim was kidnapped under circumstances that are yet to be officially disclosed.
The victim’s son, Abiola Owoade, said, “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.
“However, at about 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026, a search team recovered his motorcycle abandoned in the bush,” he said.
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The younger Owoade called on 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, hunters, vigilantes and other security agencies to intervene and rescue his father.
The victim’s colleagues and members of the education community in the local government also expressed sadness over the incident.
When contacted, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident on Monday.
The police spokesperson said, “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.”
Meanwhile, TVC News Online reports that the schoolchildren and their teachers, who were abducted during a coordinated attack on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; L.A. Primary School; and Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esienle, Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, were rescued unharmed by joint security agencies on Friday, July 10, after over 50 days in captivity.