The Ondo State Government has firmly dismissed Ogun State’s claim to Eba Island, insisting that the oil-bearing area lies within Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State and cautioning against statements it said could fuel interstate tension.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Allen Sowore, described Ogun’s assertion that oil discovered in commercial quantity at Eba Island is located in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area as “totally unacceptable.”
The Ondo government accused Ogun of spreading “sensational media briefings, misleading public statements and inaccurate official claims” over what it said is a long-established oil well within Ondo territory.
While acknowledging that mineral resources belong to the Federal Government, Ondo stressed that the territorial location of such resources must be clearly and lawfully determined. Citing Item 39 of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, the state noted that although oil exploration is on the Exclusive Legislative List, host states and communities are recognised based on the lawful location of the resources.
According to the statement, the oil deposit in question is situated in Atijere, Ondo State.
Ondo also said it understood Ogun’s aspiration to become an oil-producing state but argued that such ambitions could not override historical records and administrative boundaries. It faulted what it described as inconsistencies in public statements credited to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, particularly claims that President Bola Tinubu directly approved the commencement of oil drilling.
The state clarified that under the Petroleum Industry Act, approvals for petroleum exploration and drilling are issued through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, not by direct presidential pronouncement.
Tracing the history of Eba Island, the Ondo government maintained that the island has historically formed part of Ilaje land, noting that it existed under the Atijere Native Court Authority as far back as 1937. It added that River Ufara serves as a natural boundary between Ilaje land in Ondo State and Ijebu land in Ogun State.
The statement further outlined that Eba Island was part of Ilaje/Mahin territory in the former Lagos Colony before the 1914 amalgamation, later becoming part of Ondo Province and the Okitipupa Division. It said the island was subsequently incorporated into the Ilaje District Council around 1950 and has remained under Ilaje administrative control through various local government reorganisations.
Ondo assured residents of the affected communities to remain calm, pledging to defend its territorial integrity and administrative authority over Eba Island through lawful means.
Reacting earlier, the Ogun State Government maintained that Eba Island falls within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area. The Special Adviser to Governor Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said existing maps and studies place the oil location within Ogun State, dismissing the role of traditional rulers in determining state boundaries.
The dispute over Eba Island, which began as a disagreement among coastal communities, has now escalated into a broader boundary contention between Ogun and Ondo states, with competing claims over the oil-rich territory.
