The Ondo State government has refuted reports that an abandoned oil well recently uncovered by the Nigerian Navy is located in Ogun State, stating that the facility is actually situated in the Atijere community, Ondo State.
In a statement on Friday, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, Esq., described the report as misleading and suggested that it may have been deliberately framed to misrepresent the location of the oil well.
“The attention of the Ondo State government has been drawn to a misleading news report with the sensational headline: ‘Navy Uncovers Abandoned Ogun Oil Well,’” the statement read.
Sowore pointed out that while the report initially stated that the well was found near the Ogun-Ondo boundary, a later paragraph inaccurately claimed it was located five kilometres from Ondo State. He emphasized that both states have well-defined boundaries and a longstanding cordial relationship, but the misrepresentation of the oil well’s location raises concerns.
Providing historical context, the government explained that the oil well is on Eba Island, which was originally part of Ilaje/Mahin Country under the Lagos Colony before Nigeria’s 1914 Amalgamation. It later became part of Ondo Province, specifically the Okitipupa Division, and was designated a Forestry Reserve under the Atijere Native Authority. The island was incorporated into Ilaje District Council around 1950 and remained within Ilaje Local Government after the creation of Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Government Area in 1975. Despite administrative changes, Eba Island has always been part of Ondo State.
The statement further noted that surrounding villages—Ago Alaja, Balogun Bode, and Fasuyi—are integral to the Atijere community, and their traditional leadership, including the current Baale of Fasuyi, Chief Segun Fasuyi, has been installed by the Ondo State Government.
While acknowledging that oil fields and mining activities fall under the Exclusive Legislative List of the Federal Government, Sowore stressed the importance of accurately identifying host communities and states. He reaffirmed that the abandoned well is within Atijere, Ondo State.
In response to security concerns, the Ondo State government urged the Nigerian Navy Forward Base, Igbokoda, and local security agencies to collaborate with Ogun State authorities in preventing criminal activities around the facility.
Furthermore, the government called on the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and relevant federal agencies to clarify the oil well’s location with documentary evidence, ensuring transparency and preventing unnecessary disputes.
Ondo State assured the Federal Government of its commitment to safeguarding the asset and fully cooperating in determining its host community.
