Tension has resurfaced between Ogun and Ondo states over ownership of Eba Island, a coastal territory in the South-West, following President Bola Tinubu’s approval for drilling activities at an abandoned oil well on the island.
The disagreement deepened after the Ogun State Government restated its claim to the island, insisting that Eba lies within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area. Ogun authorities described Ondo State’s counterclaim as inaccurate and capable of triggering unnecessary communal tension.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, said historical records, legal instruments, and administrative documents clearly place Eba Island within Ogun State.
Ogun Cites Records, Federal Verification
Akinmade explained that Nigeria’s state and local government boundaries are constitutionally defined and documented by the National Boundary Commission. According to him, official boundary maps situate Eba Island within Ogun Waterside.
He said Eba is a long-established community whose existence predates Nigeria’s independence. He added that its status has remained unchanged despite several administrative reorganisations, including the 1976 state creation exercise that carved Ogun State out of the former Western State.
“Since 1976, no constitutional amendment, court ruling, or federal gazette has altered the boundary placing Eba outside Ogun State,” Akinmade said.
The Ogun government clarified that two locations bear the name “Eba.” One sits near the Ondo forest reserve, while the larger Eba Island hosts the approved oil well. According to the state, the drilling site lies entirely within Ogun’s coastal corridor.
Akinmade said the federal approval followed extensive verification by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other relevant agencies. He added that the deployment of naval and security assets around the site further reflects federal recognition of Ogun as the host state.
Ondo Rejects Claim, Calls for Boundary Review
Ogun State also disclosed that in October 2024, the Molokun of Atijere in Ondo State sought permission from the Osobia of Makun-Omi in Ogun Waterside to conduct business activities on Eba Island. The Osobia declined the request and reported it to Ogun State authorities, NNPCL, and security agencies. Ogun described the engagement as an implicit acknowledgment of its jurisdiction.
The state dismissed reliance on colonial documents from 1919 and 1920. Instead, it cited Colonial Government Gazette No. 660 of April 29, 1950, which defined the boundary between the former Ijebu and Ondo provinces. Ogun also referenced lease agreements, historical community records, survey documents tied to the Olokola Free Trade Zone, and electoral records showing that INEC registers a polling unit at Eba under Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside.
Ondo State, however, rejected Ogun’s position. In a separate statement, Allen Sowore, Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, accused Ogun of issuing misleading public statements.
Sowore said oil wells and mineral resources fall under the Federal Government, as provided in Item 39 of the Exclusive Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution. While recognising host communities, he argued that territorial claims must rely on historical evidence, official records, and statutory or judicial determinations.
He insisted that the oil deposit lies in Atijere, Ondo State, and said Ilaje indigenes are the traditional landowners. According to him, the settlement has existed since at least 1937 and historically fell under the Atijere Native Court Authority. He added that River Ufara serves as the natural boundary between Ilaje and Ijebu lands.
Ondo State called on the National Boundary Commission and relevant federal agencies to release authoritative records to conclusively resolve the dispute, as both states urged calm amid growing interest in the island’s hydrocarbon potential.