IGBOJAYE, Nigeria: Unidentified gunmen kidnapped Kolawale Mathew Owoade, the 60-year-old headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, and demanded a 30,000,000 Nigerian Naira (20,000 United States Dollars) ransom in Budo Aare, located in the Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Saturday, July 11, 2026.
Okay News reports that the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident on Monday, July 13, 2026. Ayanlade 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.”
The victim’s son, Abiola Owoade, stated the abduction took place between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. West Africa Time. Abiola Owoade said, “The incident happened when my father was returning from his farm at Budo Aare within this local government area.”
The perpetrators contacted the family to request the funds. Abiola Owoade said, “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.”
Local search efforts began the following morning. Abiola Owoade said, “However, at about 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026, a search team recovered his motorcycle abandoned in the bush.”
The victim’s son requested assistance from multiple local and national organizations. Abiola 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 abduction follows the rescue of over 40 schoolchildren and their teachers by joint security agencies in the state 56 days after their initial capture on Friday, July 10, 2026.
