Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of 19 oil-producing communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State staged a protest on Friday, August 21, 2026, over the alleged encroachment on their ancestral lands by armed persons from neighbouring communities in Delta State, warning that they would resist any attempt to take over their territory. The protesters, representing the affected coastal communities within the Ugbo Kingdom, called on the Ondo State Government to intervene urgently in the dispute and prevent it from escalating into a full-blown inter-state crisis. The communities include Odun Ebiwon, Odun Makin, Ilu Titun, Odun Odunjo, Odun Maha, Eke Nla, Eke Kekere, Ubajakere, Eke Itiola, Odun Okoro, Odun Yonren, Odun Beku, Odun Ogungbeje, Odun Oyinbo, Odun Oriretan, Ubale Kekere, Ubale Nla, Ikuyinminu and Odun Igo.
The protest, marked by solidarity songs and placards bearing inscriptions such as "Odun Makin Community belongs to Ugbo in Ilaje LGA, Ondo State" and "Ilaje People Are Peace-Loving, We Say No to Inter-State Crisis", was aimed at drawing attention to what community leaders described as a systematic attempt to undermine their territorial integrity. Speaking on behalf of the affected communities, Mr Busayo Ebiniyi alleged that the communities had come under repeated pressure from neighbouring communities in Delta State because of the economic value of the area, which is rich in oil and other mineral resources. "This development has come to threaten the peace of our people, all because of the mineral resources discovered in our communities in Ugbo Kingdom, Ilaje Local Government," Ebiniyi said.
The community leaders insisted that the disputed area has never been part of Delta State, citing historical records, political evidence and development projects executed by the Ondo State Government. Olumide John Ebiwonjumi, another community leader, said the affected communities had existed for more than 200 years under the authority of the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom. "We have evidence and proof. We possess historical records and political evidence that support our ownership of this land. For instance, the OSOPADEC project here was executed between 1999 and 2003. We have a school built during the administration of Dr Olusegun Agagu, and this walkway was constructed during the administration of Dr Olusegun Mimiko," he said. He stressed that no Delta State Government project has ever been executed in the area, further reinforcing their claim of Ondo State's jurisdiction.
The heightened tension is believed to be linked to the economic importance of the area, particularly its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and offshore oil activities. The discovery and presence of crude oil have made the land increasingly attractive, but community leaders warned that economic interests should not be allowed to destroy the relationship between neighbouring communities that have coexisted peacefully for generations through intermarriages, cultural similarities and social interactions. "We have lived peacefully with them. We have intermarried with them. We have a lot of cultural similarities with them. But that does not mean we should abandon our ancestral claim to this land," Ebiniyi said.
Ebiniyi appealed to both the Ondo and Delta State Governments to initiate government-to-government engagement and bring elders from both the Ilaje and Itsekiri communities to the negotiating table. "We are a peace-loving people. We want to invest more in peace than in crisis. Both sides will bleed if this degenerates into a full-scale crisis. Let them sheath their spears and let us go to the round table," he said. However, he issued a firm warning that the community would resist any attempt to take over its land. "Our youths do not like war, but they prepare for one. We are not cowards and we are not a conquered people. No race around us has conquered us before. They should stay away from our land," he declared.
Another leader, Orimisan Ebiwanjuwon, urged the Ondo State Government to strengthen its presence in the riverine communities through infrastructure development and improved security. "We want the government to erect Ondo State boundary signboards in this area. We need modern housing, hospitals, potable water and adequate security," he said. When contacted, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, said the government would respond to the concerns raised. The protest comes amid longstanding boundary disputes between Ondo and Delta States, with similar tensions having erupted in the past. In August 2023, Delta communities had protested against the alleged annexation of their communities into newly created Local Council Development Areas by the Ondo State Government. In August 2026, Itsekiri communities in Delta also rejected an alleged plot by the Ondo State Government to forcefully annex their ancestral land into Ilaje Local Government Area.
As the dispute continues to simmer, the 19 Ilaje communities have made their position clear: they will not surrender their ancestral land. Their message to the Itsekiri is unequivocal: stay away. Their appeal to the government is urgent: intervene before the situation spirals into a crisis that neither side can control. The people of Ugbo Kingdom have chosen peace, but they have also drawn a line in the sand. Whether the governments of Ondo and Delta will act in time to prevent the line from being crossed remains to be seen.
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