Just days after the rescue of kidnapped schoolchildren in Oyo State, gunmen have abducted a 60-year-old headmaster in Itesiwaju LGA and are demanding a ₦30 million ransom for his release. The incident has reignited fears about security in rural communities.
Abduction details
Gunmen kidnapped Oyo headmaster Matthew Kolawale Owoade while he was returning from his farm in the Budo Aare area on Saturday evening. According to his son, Abiola Owoade, the 60-year-old educator had gone to inspect his farm and was heading home between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. when armed men stopped him and whisked him away to an unknown location.
The abductors later contacted his family using his personal phone and demanded ₦30 million before they would set him free. His motorcycle was found abandoned in a bush by about 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, but the headmaster is still missing.
Police response
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security operatives have already swung into action. "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 perpetrator," Ayanlade stated.
As of the time this report was filed, the police had not announced any arrests. However, the command maintained that efforts were ongoing to rescue the victim safely and bring those responsible to justice.
Community concerns
The incident has left residents of Igbojaye worried, especially as it comes at a time when many believed security had improved following the recent rescue of kidnapped schoolchildren in Oyo State. Family members, colleagues and residents have appealed to the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to do everything possible to rescue the respected teacher safely and arrest those behind the kidnapping.
They also urged members of the public to provide any useful information that could help security agencies track down the abductors. The latest abduction adds to growing concerns over kidnappings targeting farmers and rural communities across parts of Nigeria, where criminals often demand huge ransoms from victims' families.
