The Ogun State Government has dismissed claims from some quarters in Ondo State over the ownership of Eba Island, insisting that the oil well approved for drilling by the Federal Government is located within Ogun State territory.
The clarification followed public debates and a motion sponsored by Hon. Donald Kimikanboh Ojogo, representing Ilaje Federal Constituency in Ondo State, after Tinubu approved the commencement of drilling activities at an abandoned oil well on Eba Island.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the Eba Island where the approved oil well is situated falls squarely within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.
According to him, boundaries between states and local governments are constitutionally defined and properly documented by the National Boundary Commission, adding that official boundary maps and records clearly place Eba Island within Ogun State.
Akinmade explained that Eba is a long established community in Ogun Waterside, whose status predates Nigeria’s independence and has remained unchanged through successive political and administrative arrangements, including the 1976 state creation exercise that carved Ogun State out of the former Western State.
“Since 1976, there has been no constitutional amendment, judicial pronouncement or federal gazette that altered the boundary placing Eba outside Ogun State,” he said.
The government clarified that there are two different locations known as Eba. While one is located near the Ondo State forest reserve, the larger Eba Island where the approved oil well is located lies entirely within Ogun State’s coastal corridor.
Akinmade noted that Tinubu’s approval followed extensive due diligence by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other relevant federal institutions, all of which confirmed that the oil well is within Ogun State before clearance was granted.
He added that the deployment of national security assets, including naval formations around the drilling site, further affirms federal recognition of Ogun State as the host state.
Providing further context, the statement 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, seeking permission to conduct business activities on Eba Island.
The request, according to the government, was declined and reported to the Ogun State Government, NNPCL and security agencies, an action it said amounted to a tacit acknowledgment of Ogun State’s jurisdiction over the area.
On historical claims being circulated, the state government faulted reliance on colonial documents from 1919 and 1920, describing them as misleading. It 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 government also referenced lease agreements, historical community records and survey documents, including the Olokola Free Trade Zone survey plan, as evidence establishing Eba Island as part of Ogun State.
Administrative validation by the Independent National Electoral Commission was also cited, with the polling unit at LA Primary School, Eba, officially registered under Makun Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Akinmade said that following the discovery of hydrocarbon prospects in the coastal corridor, the Ogun State Government conducted independent verification of the well coordinates using geospatial and cartographic technology, which confirmed that the wells are within Ogun State boundaries.
He added that the state has worked closely with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and NNPCL to secure the asset and prepare it for commercial exploration, including facilitating the establishment of naval security infrastructure in the area.
While warning against the spread of misinformation capable of stoking communal tension, the Ogun State Government called for restraint and responsible engagement by all parties.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the Federal Government in safeguarding national assets, adding that the people of Makun-Omi Kingdom have assured authorities of their readiness to maintain peace and protect lives and property.
“The facts are clear and the law is settled. Eba Island where the approved oil well is located is in Ogun State,” Akinmade stated.
