The Ogun State government has strongly rejected Ondo State’s claim of ownership over Eba Island, an oil-rich territory currently under investigation.
Citing historical and legal evidence, Ogun State reaffirmed that Eba Island falls within its jurisdiction and warned against any attempt to incite tensions between the Ijebu and Ilaje peoples. 
The controversy began after Allen Sowore, Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communication to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, asserted that Oke-Agor-Isekun, where an abandoned oil well was recently discovered, belongs to Ondo State.
However, Ogun State’s Special Adviser on Energy, Jide Onakoya, dismissed the claim as “misleading and contrary to historical, traditional, and legal evidence.”
Onakoya described the claim as “an affront to the Awujale of Ijebu Land and the Ijebu Traditional Council” and insisted that historical records confirm Eba Island is part of Ogun State.
He explained that state and local government boundaries are determined by the National Boundary Commission’s markers, and “a thorough examination of relevant maps affirms that Eba Island lies within Ogun Waterside Local Government.”
Ogun State further accused Ondo of making similar false claims over Irokun, another community in Ogun Waterside Local Government, calling it a “reckless distortion of facts aimed at provoking conflict.”
“Irokun has been an Ijebu settlement since the colonial era, transitioning through the Western Region to Ogun State,” Onakoya said, citing official boundary declarations.
The Ogun government blamed the misinformation on Oba Samuel Edema, the Molokun of Atijere in Ondo State.
According to Ogun officials, in October 2024, Oba Edema sought permission from Oba Kazeem Adesina Salami, the Osobia of Makun-Omi, for a business venture on Eba Island. When permission was denied, the matter was reported to Governor Dapo Abiodun, who alerted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and security agencies.
Following this, NNPC officials and law enforcement conducted an assessment of the disputed area, which Ogun State claims was met with hostility from Ondo officials. This, according to Ogun, led to a “misleading communiqué” from the Ilaje Traditional Council.
Ogun State dismissed Ondo’s reliance on colonial-era documents to support its claim, saying such documents contradict Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
The state referenced Colonial Government Gazette No. 660, dated April 29, 1950, which defines the boundary between the Ijebu and Ondo provinces. Ogun stated that this supersedes older documents, including Government Notices No. 69 of 1919 and No. 114 of 1920.
“The Gazette, signed by Acting Chief Secretary to the Colonial Government, H.F. Marshall, solidifies Ogun State’s ownership of the disputed territory,” the statement added.
Ogun State reaffirmed its commitment to peace and stability, urging all stakeholders to respect legal boundaries and avoid unnecessary conflict.
The dispute over Eba Island remains unresolved, with both states standing firm on their claims, raising concerns over potential tensions in the region.
