Oil Island War Brews Between Ogun, Ondo As Reps Intervene

… House Moves To Halt Looming Coastal Crisis

… NBC To Clarify Ownership Claims

Fresh tension has erupted between Ogun and Ondo states over the ownership of the oil-rich Eba Island, Atijere axis, forcing the House of Representatives to step in to avert what lawmakers described as a looming breakdown of law and order in the volatile coastal communities.

At plenary on Wednesday, presided over by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, the House mandated its Committee on Special Duties to urgently engage the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to “determine and clarify the official status of the disputed area with a view to restoring calm and ensuring lasting peace.”

The intervention followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Hon. Ojogo Donald Kimikanboh, who warned that “conflicting claims and misleading narratives” surrounding the oil-bearing territory were already fuelling tension.

“This growing tension in the Eba Island–Atijere axis, if left unresolved, could degenerate into unrest and threaten peace and security in the oil-producing communities,” Kimikanboh told the House.

He said the area currently known as Mahin Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State “existed long before the pre-colonial era and was originally referred to as Mahin Country,” adding that its historical roots predate Nigeria’s modern boundaries.

According to him, “in 1885, the Paramount and Natural Ruler of the area, the Amapetu of Mahin, signed a treaty with British colonial authorities that incorporated the entire Mahin Country, including Atijere Island, into the Colony of Lagos, where it was administered until the 1914 Amalgamation.”

Kimikanboh further told lawmakers that Atijere and adjoining communities — Irokun, Igboedun, Eba, Obinneyin, Araromi Seaside, Mahintedo and Itebu-Elero — “have remained under the paramount authority of the Amapetu of Mahin, a First Class and Grade A traditional ruler in Ondo State, since that historic treaty.”

He recalled that “Atijere served as the administrative headquarters of surrounding satellite communities, including Eba, and hosted a Native Court as far back as 1933,” stressing that “vassal chiefs appointed over the years have consistently been of Ilaje descent, reflecting the area’s historical ties to the former Ondo Province and present-day Ondo State.”

The Ondo lawmaker also pointed to infrastructure development as further proof of ownership, saying, “All major infrastructure in the area — roads, hospitals, schools and other social amenities  have historically been provided by successive governments of Ondo Province and later Ondo State.”

He added that “Eba Island falls squarely within Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, as confirmed by nationally and internationally recognised geographic mapping systems.”

On the oil assets driving the dispute, Kimikanboh said “the oil field located in Ago Balogun Community, popularly known as the Eba Oil Field, is customarily, historically and traditionally governed under the Atijere Kingdom, with the original inhabitants identified as Ilaje people.”

He faulted claims linking the island to Ogun State, noting that “there is no legal instrument, court judgment, National Boundary Commission determination or constitutional provision designating Eba Island or the Eba Oil Field as part of Ogun State.”

“Some media reports have distorted historical facts by suggesting otherwise,” he said, warning that “such claims have heightened tension in the area and pose a serious threat to peace and security.”

Following the debate, the House resolved to task its Committee on Special Duties to work with the NBC to “urgently put measures in place to determine the official status of the disputed area,” while urging all stakeholders and residents to remain calm as the process unfolds.

Lawmakers stressed that the intervention was aimed at preventing violence, safeguarding oil installations and ensuring that the boundary dispute is resolved through “historical records, legal instruments and constitutional provisions” rather than confrontation.

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