The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its territorial jurisdiction over Eba Island in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, dismissing claims from parts of Ondo State as misleading and capable of sparking avoidable communal tension.
The clarification follows public debates and a motion sponsored by Honourable Donald Ojogo, representing Ilaje Federal Constituency in Ondo State, after President Bola Tinubu approved the commencement of drilling activities at an abandoned oil well located on Eba Island.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Honourable Kayode Akinmade, said Eba Island, where the oil well is located, falls squarely within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Akinmade noted that state and local government boundaries in Nigeria are constitutionally defined and documented by the National Boundary Commission (NBC), adding that official boundary maps and records clearly place Eba Island within Ogun State.
He described Eba as a long-established community in Ogun Waterside whose status predates Nigeria’s independence and has remained unchanged through successive political and administrative reorganisations, including the 1976 state creation exercise that carved Ogun State out of the former Western State.
Providing further context, Akinmade disclosed that in October 2024, the Molokun of Atijere in Ondo State formally approached the Osobia of Makun-Omi in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area to seek permission to conduct business activities on Eba Island.
He said the request was declined and subsequently reported to the Ogun State Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and security agencies, describing the move as a tacit acknowledgment of Ogun State’s jurisdiction over the area.
On historical claims, the government cautioned against reliance on colonial documents from 1919 and 1920, describing them as misleading. It instead cited Colonial Government Gazette No. 660 of April 29, 1950, which it said clearly defined the boundary between the former Ijebu and Ondo provinces and superseded earlier notices.
The statement also referenced lease agreements, historical community records and survey documents, including the Olokola Free Trade Zone survey plan, as further evidence establishing Eba Island as part of Ogun State.
Administrative validation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also cited, noting that the polling unit at LA Primary School, Eba, is officially registered under Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Akinmade added that following the discovery of hydrocarbon prospects in the coastal corridor, the Ogun State Government conducted independent verification of the well’s coordinates using geospatial and cartographic technology, which confirmed that the wells are located within Ogun State boundaries.
He said the state has worked closely with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and NNPCL to secure the asset and prepare it for commercial exploration, including facilitating the establishment of naval security infrastructure in the area.
