Gunmen abduct Oyo Headmaster, demand N30m ransom

By Johnson Arua

Armed men have allegedly abducted the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, Igbojaye, in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mr. Matthew Kolawale Owoade, demanding a ransom of N30 million for his release.

The 60-year-old educator, popularly known as "Onaiye," was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday evening while returning from his farm in the Budo Aare area of the local government.

According to his son, Abiola Owoade, the assailants intercepted his father between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. before whisking him away to an unknown destination.

He disclosed that the kidnappers later contacted the family through the victim's mobile phone and demanded N30 million as ransom, warning that the money must be paid to secure his freedom.

Hope of tracing the victim received a slight boost on Sunday morning when a search party reportedly discovered his abandoned motorcycle in a nearby bush at about 8:20 a.m., indicating the route taken by the abductors.

The incident has thrown the family, colleagues and the education community in Itesiwaju Local Government Area into anxiety, with appeals to the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the headmaster.

The family also urged members of the public with useful information that could aid the victim's rescue to promptly report to the relevant security authorities.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said, "I can confirm to you that a farmer, Mr. Owoade Mathew, was kidnapped at his farm in Budo Aare, and efforts are on to rescue the man unhurt and arrest the perpetrators."