Ogun admits error over oil exploration site as Ipokia community protest

Indigenes of Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State have petitioned Governor Dapo Abiodun over what they described as confusion surrounding the approved location for oil exploration in the state.

In a petition dated January 23, 2026, and signed by the Baamofin of Ipokia Kingdom, Barrister Lawal Orisadare, on behalf of Concerned Ipokia Local Government Indigenes, the community urged the governor to clarify the exact site approved for oil exploration.

The petition followed conflicting media reports after the governor was quoted as saying that President Bola Tinubu had approved the commencement of commercial oil drilling at Tongeji Island. The statement was reportedly made while Abiodun received the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, during a courtesy visit in Abeokuta.

According to the statement, the governor had said oil drilling activities would soon begin at Tongeji Island, while also noting that plans for the Olokola Deep Sea Port had been revived.

However, subsequent reports in some online platforms suggested that the approved oil exploration site was Eba community in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, rather than Tongeji Island in Ipokia.

Reacting, the Ipokia indigenes accused some individuals of misinterpreting the governor’s earlier remarks and insisted that Tongeji Island had long been identified as the location of oil deposits in commercial quantities.

“We write to express our concerns and seek urgent clarification regarding the exact site approved for oil exploration in Ogun State. Oil deposits in Tongeji Island have long been confirmed to exist in commercial quantities and represent a major opportunity for economic development,” the petition stated.

The petitioners noted that successive administrations, both military and civilian, had consistently identified Tongeji Island as the focal point of oil exploration efforts in Ogun State.

They also raised security concerns, alleging that the discovery of oil in Tongeji Island had previously attracted interest from the Republic of Benin, stressing that the continued presence of the Nigerian Navy had helped safeguard the area.

While welcoming the governor’s earlier announcement, the community said it was alarmed by reports suggesting a shift of the exploration site to Eba community.

The indigenes further accused the state government of neglecting Ipokia Local Government, citing the abandoned Ogun State Polytechnic established during the administration of former governor Ibikunle Amosun, which they said remains dilapidated despite assessments carried out during Abiodun’s first term.

They urged the governor to reaffirm Tongeji Island as the approved oil exploration site, warning that any reversal would be a setback to the aspirations of the area.

Reacting to the controversy, the Ogun State Government admitted that its initial statement was inaccurate.

The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, Kayode Akinmade, told The PUNCH that the statement wrongly indicated that oil drilling would commence on Tongeji Island due to an error by the press officer who drafted it.

“It was not Tongeji. The press officer was misinformed. I contacted editors to withdraw the report, but it had already gone viral on social media,” Akinmade said.

He clarified that the governor had referred to Eba community in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area as the approved site for oil exploration, noting that the area is close to the Olokola Deep Sea Port, which has also received presidential approval.

Akinmade acknowledged that oil exists in commercial quantities at Tongeji Island but explained that the offshore location, lack of infrastructure, and its proximity to the Republic of Benin make immediate exploration challenging.

He added that oil had been discovered in Eba many years ago, which was why the Dangote Group initially considered siting its refinery there before relocating to Lekki, Lagos State.

The state government appealed to the people of Ipokia to remain calm, assuring them that extensive infrastructure would be required before oil exploration could eventually commence at Tongeji Island.