The Ondo State government vehemently disputes the claims put forth by the neighboring Ogun State government, which alleges that citizens of Ondo are encroaching on Ogun territory and launching attacks on its people in the Irokun Kingdom situated in the Ogun-Waterside Local Government Area.
In a comprehensive response, the Ondo State government firmly describes the allegations of encroachment into certain Ogun State communities as unfounded, asserting that the areas in question constitutionally belong to Ondo State. This assertion comes as a counter to recent statements made by the Ogun State Government's Deputy Governor, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, who asserted that the Government of Ondo State attacked its citizens in the Irokun Kingdom.
According to Mrs. Salako-Oyedele, the encroachment on Ogun communities is accompanied by assaults on its citizens, particularly residents of Irokun Kingdom in Ogun-Waterside Local Government Area, with the alleged perpetrators originating from the Ilaje region of Ondo State.
In a swift and robust response, the Ondo State government refutes these allegations, categorizing them as "patently false" and part of a concerning pattern of propaganda by the Ogun State Government. The Ondo authorities view this as a strategic move to reinforce Ogun's purported false territorial claim on regions such as Irokun, Obinehin, Idigbengben, and Araromi seaside.
Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, representing the Ondo government, further dismisses the declaration by the Deputy Governor of Ogun State that Ogun will not cede an inch of the land to Ondo as "comedic." Speaking at a press conference in Akure, the state capital, Ademola-Olateju emphasizes that the Ondo State government is committed to protecting the lives and properties of its citizens.
Highlighting the historical connection between Ondo and Ogun states as sister states within the Yoruba ethnic stock, the Commissioner points out that the alleged territorial disputes predate the creation of both states. Despite sharing common boundaries in various parts, conflicts in coastal areas are attributed by the Ondo government to the activities of Ogun State officials in areas under the undisputed administrative territories of Ondo State.
