Ogun And Ondo Trade Blame Over Oil-Rich Eba Island As Reps Intervene

The Ogun and Ondo state governments have entered a fresh legal and diplomatic battle over the ownership of Eba Island, an oil-rich territory recently approved for commercial drilling. The conflict escalated on January 30, 2026, when the Ondo State Government formally rejected Ogun’s jurisdiction claims, labeling them “sensational” and “misleading.”

 Ondo officials, led by Allen Sowore, Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, maintain that the island and its surrounding villages: Ago Alaja, Balogun Bode, and Fasuyi, have historically been administered under the Atijere Native Court in Ondo State since 1937.

In a swift counter-statement on February 1, 2026, the Ogun State Government, through Special Adviser Kayode Akinmade, reaffirmed its own “unambiguous” authority over the island. Ogun argues that the location falls squarely within the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area and that existing National Boundary Commission (NBC) maps clearly support this.

 Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration highlighted that the recent presidential approval for drilling followed extensive due diligence by the NNPCL, which reportedly confirmed the site as Ogun territory. They further noted that the deployment of naval security assets to the area underscores federal recognition of Ogun as the host state.

The dispute has sparked internal friction within Ogun State, as the Ode Omi and Makun Omi kingdoms have also clashed over ancestral rights to the island. Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Hon. Donald Ojogo (representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo) successfully moved a motion of urgent public importance on January 28, prompting the House to mandate the NBC to settle the boundary status immediately.

 Traditional rulers on both sides, including the Molokun of Atijere (Ondo) and the Osobia of Makun-Omi (Ogun), have warned of potential communal unrest if the Federal Government does not provide a definitive legal verdict soon.

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