NEWS UPDATE: ONDO GOVERNMENT REJECTS OGUN’S CLAIM OVER OIL-RICH EBA ISLAND, CITES HISTORICAL RECORDS

ONDO GOVERNMENT REJECTS OGUN’S CLAIM OVER OIL-RICH EBA ISLAND, CITES HISTORICAL RECORDS

The Ondo State Government has strongly rejected claims by the Ogun State Government over the ownership of the oil-rich Eba Island, insisting that historical records and administrative evidence clearly establish the island as part of Ondo State.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, the Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), said extensive archival materials obtained from the United Kingdom confirm that Eba Island belongs to Ondo State, specifically within Atijere in Ilaje Local Government Area.

Ajulo described the recent claim by Ogun State as surprising, noting that the island has long been recognised as part of Ondo territory by federal authorities and successive administrations.

According to him, several federal agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had previously visited the area and acknowledged it as belonging to Ondo State.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and other federal agencies visited the island on multiple occasions and, without equivocation, recognised it as belonging to Ondo State. Yet today, Ogun State lays claim to it. What has changed?” Ajulo said.

The Attorney General explained that the renewed dispute prompted him to personally investigate historical documents in the United Kingdom to verify the island’s ownership.

He said the investigation involved consulting colonial-era records at the British Library, the National Archives at Kew, and other repositories containing official documentation on Nigeria’s territorial administration.

“I undertook a forensic study in the United Kingdom, examining original treaties, maps, intelligence sketches, cadastral surveys and gazette notices. Each document confirmed that Eba Island is an integral part of Atijere in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State,” he stated.

Providing historical context, Ajulo explained that before the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria, Eba Island was part of the Ilaje/Mahin region within the Lagos Colony.

He noted that in 1885, the Amapetu of Mahin signed a protection treaty with British colonial authorities, bringing the Mahin Kingdom, including Atijere and Eba Island, under the Lagos Colony.

Following the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria, the island was incorporated into Ondo Province under the Okitipupa Division and later designated a forestry reserve managed by the Atijere Native Authority.

Ajulo further stated that by 1933, Atijere had become the administrative headquarters of the district, hosting the Native Court where chiefs appointed by the Amapetu presided over local matters.

According to him, Eba Island fell under the jurisdiction of the Atijere Native Court and was later integrated into the Ilaje District Council in 1950, with Atijere serving as the district headquarters.

He added that through various local government reforms over the decades, including the creation of Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Government in 1975 and the later establishment of Ese-Odo Local Government Area in 1997, Eba Island has consistently remained within Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The Attorney General also highlighted the social and cultural ties between the island and Ilaje communities, noting that generations of residents from the area have lived, fished, farmed and carried out traditional activities on the island.

“They have never paid allegiance or royalties to authorities in Ogun State,” he said.

Ajulo explained that River Ufara serves as the natural boundary separating Ilaje land in Ondo State from Ijebu territory in Ogun State.

He further clarified that under Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution and Item 39 of the Exclusive Legislative List, mineral resources belong to the Federal Government. However, derivation benefits and host community rights under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 are determined by the territorial location of the resource and the identity of host communities.

According to him, ownership claims over the island cannot be established through media statements but must rely on historical records, legal documentation and continuous administrative control.

“Ownership cannot be established through press releases or media narratives. It is anchored in historical title, continuous administration and customary law. No gazette, court ruling or boundary adjustment has transferred Eba Island to Ogun State,” Ajulo said.

He also presented a collection of documents from colonial archives, including administrative maps, intelligence reports, treaty drawings, ethnographic maps and boundary records, which he said consistently place Eba Island within Ondo State’s jurisdiction.

The Attorney General warned that continued public claims over the island could create unnecessary tensions among communities along the coastal boundary of both states.

He stated that the Ondo State Government is prepared to defend its territorial integrity through lawful channels, including the courts and the National Boundary Commission.

Ajulo also urged stakeholders and residents to remain calm while constitutional processes are allowed to address the dispute.

“Eba Island remains part of Ondo State. Any dispute regarding the matter should be resolved through established legal and constitutional mechanisms,” he said.