By Peter Omopo
Tension heightened on Thursday as residents of Atijere community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State staged a protest over Ogun State Government’s claim of ownership of the oil-rich Eba Island.
The demonstrators, who marched through the community carrying placards with various inscriptions, rejected Ogun State’s claim, insisting that Eba Island is administratively and historically part of Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State.
According to the protesters, Eba Island has for decades remained under the undisputed governance and control of Ondo State, stressing that the island is inhabited by indigenous Ilaje communities whose ancestral heritage, economic activities and cultural identity are firmly rooted in Ondo State.
They argued that any attempt to lay claim to the island by another state undermines the historical and administrative identity of the people and threatens their livelihoods.
The aggrieved residents appealed to Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to urgently intervene by engaging relevant authorities to safeguard the state’s territorial integrity and protect the interests of the affected communities.
TVC News recalls that the Ondo State Government had earlier rejected claims by the Ogun State Government suggesting ownership of an oil deposit on Eba Island, describing the assertions as misleading and unacceptable.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Allen Sowore, the Ondo State Government accused Ogun State of making sensational and inaccurate public statements regarding the location of a long-existing oil well, which it maintained is situated in Atijere, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The dispute has continued to generate concern among residents, with calls for peaceful dialogue and federal intervention to resolve the ownership claims and prevent further tension in the oil-producing area.
