By The Metro 
The Oyo State Police Command said it has secured the freedom of a 60-year-old headmaster and farmer, Mathew Owoade, who was abducted along the Igbojaye–Budo Aare bush road in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan on Monday.
He said the rescue followed the immediate deployment of a coordinated joint security operation and sustained investigative efforts by the command.
According to Ayanlade, the operational pressure mounted on the abductors forced them to abandon the victim, who regained his freedom on the evening of Monday.
The statement read, “The Oyo State Police Command wishes to update members of the public on the earlier press release issued on July 13, 2026, regarding the abduction of a farmer, Mathew Owoade, who was kidnapped along the Igbojaye–Budo Aare bush road in Oyo State on July 12, 2026.
“Following the immediate deployment of a coordinated joint security operation and sustained investigative efforts by the command, the intense operational pressure mounted on the abductors forced the hoodlums to abandon the victim, who regained his freedom on the evening of July 13, 2026.
“The victim has since been taken to a medical facility for evaluation and necessary treatment. Upon completion of medical attention, he will be debriefed by investigators as part of the ongoing investigation aimed at identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting all those responsible for the criminal act.”
The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Olugbenga Abimbola, commended other security agencies, community members and residents for their support during the operation.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, assuring residents that criminal elements would not be allowed to find safe haven in the state.