A fresh boundary dispute has erupted between Ogun and Ondo states over the ownership of Eba Island, a coastal territory in the South-West recently identified as hosting oil deposits. The disagreement has intensified following President Bola Tinubu’s approval of drilling activities at an abandoned oil well located on the island.
The development has sparked strong reactions from both state governments, with each insisting that Eba Island falls within its territory. While Ogun State says the island is part of its Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, Ondo State argues that the oil-rich land belongs to Atijere community in Ilaje Local Government Area.
The dispute has raised concerns about possible communal tension in the coastal region, especially as oil exploration often brings economic benefits, political attention, and security presence to host communities.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ogun State Government reaffirmed its claim over Eba Island and dismissed Ondo State’s position as misleading. The statement was signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Mr. Kayode Akinmade.
According to Akinmade, Eba Island is clearly located within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area based on historical records, legal documents, and administrative practice.
“The Eba Island, where the approved oil well is located, falls squarely within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State,” he said. “Boundaries between states and local governments in Nigeria are constitutionally defined and properly documented by the National Boundary Commission. Official boundary maps and records clearly situate Eba Island within Ogun State.”
Ogun State explained that Eba is a long-established community whose history dates back to the pre-independence period. The government said the status of the community has remained unchanged through various political changes, including the creation of Ogun State in 1976 from the former Western State.
Akinmade stressed that since 1976, there has been no constitutional amendment, court judgment, or federal government notice that altered the boundary to move Eba Island outside Ogun State.
He also clarified that confusion may have arisen because there are two locations known as “Eba.” According to him, one Eba is located near a forest reserve in Ondo State, while the larger and more prominent Eba Island—where the oil well approved by the President is located—lies entirely within Ogun State’s coastal area.
The Ogun State Government further argued that the federal approval for drilling did not happen by chance. It said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other relevant federal agencies carried out due diligence before approving the drilling activity.
“The approval followed extensive checks by NNPCL and other federal agencies, which confirmed the well’s location within Ogun State,” Akinmade said. “The deployment of national security assets, including naval formations around the drilling site, further demonstrates federal recognition of Ogun State as the host state.”
Providing additional background, Ogun State recalled that in October 2024, a traditional ruler from Ondo State, the Molokun of Atijere, approached the Osobia of Makun-Omi in Ogun Waterside to seek permission to conduct business activities on Eba Island.
According to the statement, the request was declined and later reported to the Ogun State Government, NNPCL, and security agencies.
“This engagement amounted to a tacit acknowledgement of Ogun State’s jurisdiction over the area,” the government said.
Ogun State also rejected Ondo State’s reliance on colonial documents from 1919 and 1920, describing them as misleading. Instead, it cited Colonial Government Gazette No. 660 of April 29, 1950, which it said clearly defined the boundary between the former Ijebu Province and Ondo Province.
The state also pointed to other documents, including lease agreements, community records, survey plans linked to the Olokola Free Trade Zone, and electoral records. It noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognises Eba community under Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, with a polling unit located at LA Primary School, Eba.
While insisting on its claim, Ogun State urged restraint and responsible conduct, warning that misinformation could inflame tensions in the area.
“The facts are clear, and the law is settled. Eba Island, where the approved oil well is located, is in Ogun State,” the statement concluded.
However, Ondo State strongly rejected Ogun’s position and insisted that the island belongs to Atijere community in Ilaje Local Government Area. In a separate statement on Sunday, the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Allen Sowore, accused Ogun State of issuing misleading public statements.
Sowore stressed that oil and mineral resources in Nigeria belong to the Federal Government, not individual states. He cited Item 39 of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which places oil fields and oil mining on the Exclusive Legislative List.
“It must be clearly stated that mineral resources, including oil wells, are assets of the Federal Government, domiciled within different states of the Federation,” he said.
While acknowledging the role of host states and communities, Sowore argued that territorial claims must be based on historical records, official documents, and, where necessary, court decisions.
“Ownership of land or territorial location of petroleum resources is not established by press statements or shifting public narratives,” he said. “In this case, the oil deposit in question is situated in Atijere, Ondo State.”
The Ondo State Government said the landowners in the disputed area are Ilaje indigenes and that the Atijere settlement has existed since at least 1937. It added that Eba Island historically fell under the Atijere Native Court Authority.
Sowore also pointed to River Ufara, which runs through Imakun into the Oluwa River, as a natural boundary separating Ilaje land from Ijebu land.
“Ogun and Ondo States are distinct entities with clearly defined administrative and historical boundaries and a long record of cordial relations,” he said. “Recent attempts to misrepresent facts regarding an oil deposit situated within Ondo State are unacceptable.”
Ondo State has now called on the National Boundary Commission and other relevant federal agencies to release official records to settle the dispute and prevent further tension.
Boundary disputes are not new in Nigeria, especially in areas where natural resources are involved. Similar disagreements in the past have often required federal intervention or court rulings to resolve.