The Ondo State Government has firmly rejected claims by Ogun State regarding the ownership and location of an oil deposit on Eba Island, describing the assertions as misleading, inaccurate, and unacceptable.
In a detailed statement issued on January 30, 2026, Ondo State faulted what it described as a series of sensational media briefings and public statements by the Ogun State Government concerning a long-established oil well situated on Eba Island, which it maintains lies within Ondo State territory.
The statement clarified that mineral resources, including oil wells, are assets of the Federal Government as provided under Item 39 of the Second Schedule (Part I) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). While states hosting such resources are recognised as oil-producing states, the lawful location of petroleum deposits must be clearly established through facts, records, and due process. According to Ondo State, the oil deposit in question is located in Atijere, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
While expressing understanding of Ogun State’s aspiration to join the league of oil-producing states, Ondo cautioned that ownership or territorial claims cannot be established through press statements or shifting narratives, but through historical records, documentary evidence, established administrative practice, and, where necessary, judicial or statutory determinations.
The Ondo State Government also took issue with a statement credited to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on January 22, 2026, in which he reportedly announced presidential approval for the commencement of commercial oil drilling at Tongeji Island.
Ondo State noted that under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), approvals for petroleum exploration and drilling fall within the statutory regulatory framework of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), making claims of direct presidential approval inconsistent with existing legal provisions.
The statement further observed that the Ogun State Government later admitted errors regarding the location of the oil site, a development which Ondo said further weakened the credibility of the claims. It added that even within Ogun State, concerns have been raised about the precise location of the alleged oil deposit, citing a petition dated January 23, 2026, by concerned indigenes of Ipokia Local Government Area seeking clarification.
Reaffirming its position, Ondo State stated that the oil deposit is located within Ilaje Local Government Area, with Atijere indigenes as the landowners. It explained that Eba Island has existed as part of Atijere territory since at least 1937 and historically fell under the Atijere Native Court Authority. The state identified River Ufara, flowing through Imakun into the Oluwa River, as the natural boundary between Ilaje and Ijebu lands.
Historically, the statement traced Eba Island to the Ilaje/Mahin Country of the former Lagos Colony before the 1914 Amalgamation, after which it became part of the Ondo Province, Okitipupa Division, and was designated a forestry reserve under the Atijere Native Authority. The island was later incorporated into the Ilaje District Council around 1950 and remained under Ilaje jurisdiction following the creation of Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Government Area in 1975 and Ese-Odo Local Government Area in 1997.
Ondo State stressed that the communities surrounding the oil well—Ago Alaja, Balogun Bode, and Fasuyi—are cluster villages of Atijere community, with village heads appointed by the Ondo State Government. It noted that all inhabitants of these communities are indigenes of Ondo State.
The state welcomed the decision of the House of Representatives to mandate engagement with the National Boundary Commission (NBC) following a motion of urgent public importance, noting that such engagement should serve to confirm existing records and resolve the matter conclusively.
Ondo State also called on the NBC and other relevant federal agencies to release authoritative records to end what it described as misleading claims and avoid unnecessary public tension.
Assuring residents of the affected communities, the Ondo State Government said it would remain calm but resolute in defending its territorial integrity and administrative authority over Eba Island within the ambit of the law. It also reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with the Federal Government in protecting the national asset and establishing, beyond doubt, the true location of the oil deposit.
The statement was signed by Allen Sowore, Esq., Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy.
