Barely days after Oyo State celebrated the rescue of dozens of abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area, fear has returned to the state’s education community following the abduction of another school headmaster.
The victim, 60-year-old Kolawale Mathew Owoade, popularly known as Onaiye, is the headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, Igbojaye, Budo Aare, in Itesiwaju Local Government Area. He was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday evening while returning from his farm.
According to his son, Abiola Owoade, the gunmen later contacted the family using the victim’s mobile phone and demanded a ransom of N30 million.
“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, a search team recovered his motorcycle abandoned in the bush,” he said.
The latest incident comes shortly after joint security agencies rescued more than 40 pupils and teachers who had spent 56 days in captivity after being abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
The fresh abduction has renewed concerns over the safety of educators, particularly those serving in rural communities where many combine teaching with farming to support their livelihoods.
Appealing for urgent intervention, Abiola 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 (Amotekun), hunters, vigilantes and other security agencies to rescue his father.
The incident has also unsettled members of the education community in Itesiwaju Local Government Area, with colleagues expressing concern over the growing security risks facing teachers.
Confirming the development, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security operatives had launched efforts to rescue the victim and arrest the kidnappers.
“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,” the police spokesperson said.
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