FIC Report (Ogun State) – 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, Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Honourable Kayode Akinmade, said Eba Island falls squarely within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State. He cited official boundary maps and records from the National Boundary Commission (NBC) as evidence.
Akinmade noted that Eba is a long-established community in Ogun Waterside, predating Nigeria’s independence, and has remained unchanged through successive political and administrative reorganisations.
The government dismissed reliance on colonial documents from 1919 and 1920, citing Colonial Government Gazette No. 660 of April 29, 1950, which defined the boundary between the former Ijebu and Ondo provinces.
Lease agreements, historical community records, and survey documents, including the Olokola Free Trade Zone survey plan, further establish Eba Island as part of Ogun State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also registered the polling unit at LA Primary School, Eba, under Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Ogun State Government conducted independent verification of the well’s coordinates using geospatial and cartographic technology, confirming the wells are within Ogun State boundaries.
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.
Security infrastructure, including naval presence, has been established in the area to protect national assets.
The government urged calm and warned against actions that could escalate tensions, reiterating its commitment to protecting Ogun State’s interests.
Eba Island’s status is not up for debate, and Ogun State will continue to assert its jurisdiction, the government assured.
Signed
Shittu Hammed. O.
ACIO
FIC, Abeokuta.
