The House of Representatives on Thursday mandated its relevant committees to investigate the territorial status of Eba Island, a geographical area currently being contested by Ogun State and Ondo State. Ayemafuge understands that the resolution followed the adoption of a motion at plenary moved by the member representing Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun waterside federal Constituency, Joseph Adegbesan.
Presenting the motion, 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.
Our correspondent at the state house Abuja reported that Hon. Adegbesan 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.
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.
Observers say the discovery of hydrocarbon resources has heightened the stakes in the dispute, with both states eager to secure economic advantages tied to oil exploration and derivation revenue. The intervention by the House of Representatives is therefore seen as an attempt to clarify the legal and geospatial status of the island and prevent the dispute from escalating into a broader inter-state conflict.
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