The Ogun State Government has firmly restated its territorial jurisdiction over Eba Island in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, dismissing claims from some quarters in Ondo State as misleading and capable of fuelling unnecessary communal tension.

The clarification follows renewed public debate and a motion sponsored by Hon. Donald Kimikanboh Ojogo, representing Ilaje Federal Constituency in Ondo State, after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the resumption of drilling activities at an abandoned oil well on Eba Island.

In a statement on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the island hosting the oil well “falls squarely within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.”

Akinmade explained that state and local government boundaries are constitutionally defined and officially documented by the National Boundary Commission (NBC), stressing that existing maps and records clearly place Eba Island within Ogun State.

He noted that Eba is a long-established coastal community whose status predates Nigeria’s independence and has remained unchanged through successive political and administrative restructurings, including the 1976 state creation exercise.

“Since 1976, there has been no constitutional amendment, judicial pronouncement or federal gazette that altered the boundary placing Eba outside Ogun State,” the statement said.

The government attributed the controversy partly to the existence of two locations known as “Eba.” While one settlement is located near the Ondo State forest reserve, the larger Eba Island—where the oil well approved by the President is located—lies entirely within Ogun State’s coastal corridor.

According to Akinmade, the presidential approval followed extensive due diligence by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other relevant federal agencies, all of which confirmed Ogun State as the host before clearance was granted. He added that the deployment of naval security assets around the site further underscores federal recognition of Ogun State’s jurisdiction.

Providing historical context, the statement revealed that in October 2024, the Molokun of Atijere in Ondo State formally sought permission from the Osobia of Makun-Omi in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area to conduct activities on Eba Island. The request was declined and reported to the Ogun State Government, NNPCL, and security agencies, an action described as a tacit acknowledgment of Ogun State’s authority.

The Ogun State Government also dismissed reliance on colonial notices from 1919 and 1920 as misleading, citing Colonial Government Gazette No. 660 of April 29, 1950, which clearly defined the boundary between the former Ijebu and Ondo Provinces and superseded earlier documents.

Additional evidence cited includes lease agreements, community records, survey documents such as the Olokola Free Trade Zone Survey Plan, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) records showing Eba’s polling unit registered under Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.

While urging restraint and responsible engagement, the government warned against the spread of misinformation and inflammatory narratives, reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law, peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the Federal Government.

“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.