The House of Representatives on Thursday mandated its relevant committees to investigate the territorial status of Eba Island, a geographical area currently contested by Ogun and Ondo states.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion at plenary moved by the member representing Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Federal Constituency, Joseph Adegbesan.
The development comes as traditional rulers and stakeholders from various communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State rejected claims by neighbouring Ogun State regarding the rightful ownership of Eba Island.
Both Ondo and Ogun states have recently been engaged in a dispute over the ownership of the oil-rich island, with each state asserting it is the original owner.
The Ogun State Government reaffirmed its territorial jurisdiction over the Island in the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, dismissing claims from the government of Ondo State as misleading and capable of triggering avoidable communal tension.
However, the Ondo Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kayode Ajulo, said the dispute over the oil-rich island was astonishing, given that all official records and decades of administration had long recognised the island as Ondo territory.
Presenting the motion on the floor of the House on Thursday, the lawmaker reminded the House that the National Boundary Commission is constitutionally empowered to define, adjust and maintain inter-state boundaries within the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said, “The House is aware that Eba Island, the site of a recently approved oil well for commercial drilling, is geographically situated between the Oluwa River and the Alape River within the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.
“The House is also aware of the existence of two distinct locations bearing the name ‘Eba’, one being Eba Island in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State, and the other an inland Eba community within the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, which are geographically and administratively separate.”
Adegbesan further noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission had, over the years, recognised Eba Island as falling within Makun/Irokun ward of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State by establishing polling units and conducting elections there.
He said, “The House also observed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, in conjunction with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, conducted due diligence and verified the coordinates of the oil well prior to the approval for commercial drilling by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu.”
The lawmaker, however, expressed concern over recent claims suggesting that the oil-bearing island falls within Ondo State, warning that such assertions could trigger unnecessary tension between the two neighbouring states.
He said the claims “risk creating unnecessary tension between Ogun and Ondo States and may undermine national economic stability.”
Adegbesan added, “We are disturbed that reports of threats issued by certain groups regarding the oil exploration activities pose potential risks to national security and economic infrastructure.
“The House is concerned that there has been no constitutional amendment, judicial pronouncement, Federal Gazette, or formal boundary adjustment by the National Boundary Commission transferring Eba Island from Ogun State to Ondo State since the 1976 state creation exercise.
“We are also concerned that confusion arising from the similarity in nomenclature between two distinct ‘Ebe’ locations may mislead the public and policymakers; additionally, unresolved territorial disputes over oil-bearing areas may discourage investment, disrupt exploration activities, and threaten national revenue generation, thereby emboldening crime and compromising the security of national assets.”
Following the adoption of the motion at a session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, the House mandated its Committees on Special Duties and Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to investigate the geospatial coordinates and official boundary documentation relating to Eba Island and report within four weeks for further legislative action.
However, the Ilaje monarchs, under the auspice of the Ilaje Local Government Traditional Chieftaincy Committee, in a statement on Thursday, jointly signed by their chairman and the secretary, Amapetu of Mahinland, Oba Williams Akinyomi, and the Odoka of Ogbara Kingdom, Oba Femi Ogbaro, respectively, appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the matter, to avoid communal crisis between the two neighbouring states.
According to the monarchs, the claim by traditional rulers in Ogun Waterside and the Ijebu axis was historically inaccurate and contrary to established administrative and geographical records.
They insisted that the oil-rich island belonged to the Sunshine State.
The monarchs said Eba Island, alongside Atijere and several surrounding settlements, had historically formed part of Ilaje land and remained under the jurisdiction of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
According to the monarchs, historical records clearly showed that the pre-colonial boundary between the Mahin Kingdom in Ilaje and the Ijebu (Ogun State) axis had always been marked by the meeting point of the red and white sand at the Efire/Ofara River, a natural landmark that still exists.
The group said, “Regarding the land dispute between Ogun and Ondo State, the way forward is to make the whole world, both the federal and state governments, aware that Eba Island is in Ilaje land in Atijere, under Ilaje LG in Ondo State.
”We want federal and state governments to set up a committee to look into this to prevent a crisis. We respect the Federal Government and the President of Nigeria for what is being done and trust that equity and justice will prevail.
”Our message for the Ogun State Government is that they should remain where they are; we will not allow them to claim illegitimate land.
“If the issue is unresolved, we are ready to pursue legal avenues. At the end of the day, if there is no compromise, the legal route will be followed,” the monarchs said.
They also cited electoral evidence, noting that Lugboroko Polling Unit 24 and Basa Polling Unit 21, both located within the Eba Island Forest Reserve area, fell under Mahin Ward IV in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
They argued that the existence and operation of these polling units within the Nigerian electoral framework further confirmed the long-established administrative control of Ilaje over the area.
”The recognition and operation of these polling units within the Nigerian electoral system further reinforces the long-established administrative and political jurisdiction of Ilaje Local Government over these communities,” they added.
The monarchs, who went down the memory lane, recalled that when Mahin District was incorporated into the Lagos Colony in 1895, Atijere and the surrounding communities were part of the district, stressing that the creation of the Atijere Native Court in 1937 placed Eba Island and nearby settlements under its jurisdiction, reinforcing their traditional and administrative ties to Ilaje territory.
The statement added that when Atijere became the headquarters of the Ilaje District Council in 1955, Eba Island and its environs were placed directly under its authority, “a status that has remained unchanged through subsequent administrative structures, including the creation of Ilaje Local Government.”
The traditional ruler of Atijere Kingdom, Oba Samuel Adeoye, who insisted that the island was situated in his kingdom, called on the Federal Government to call for dialogue.
He said, “There might be a need for both states to come to a roundtable discussion and be frank with each other. If they are not sincere or try to access resources that do not belong to them, the problem may persist.
”There should be a meeting point where both communities and state governments will sit down, look at all issues, and resolve them amicably. I believe God will give us the wisdom to do so,” he said.
While expressing support for the exploration and development of oil in the Eba area, the Ilaje traditional rulers vowed to resist any attempt to annex any part of Ilaje land.
They also called for an on-site investigation involving representatives of the affected communities and both states
The controversy surrounding Eba Island has intensified in recent weeks following the approval for commercial oil drilling in the area, raising questions about which state has legal ownership of the territory and the attendant revenue benefits.
Both Ogun and Ondo states are reportedly laying claims to the oil-bearing island, citing historical, administrative and geographical arguments to support their positions.
The dispute has also drawn attention to long-standing boundary ambiguities in Nigeria’s coastal regions, where rivers, creeks and islands often complicate demarcation between states.
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