The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has uncovered an illegal oil refinery operated by Chinese in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
The operation, carried out on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, followed credible intelligence and surveillance on the activities of illegal sludge oil refiners.
EFCC operatives found the refinery deserted when they stormed the premises, following the Commission's earlier clampdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the area.
However, EFCC operatives found waste products from the refining process at the location.
During the raid, officials also found underground tanks believed to have been used to heat and process the sludge oil.
Two of the underground tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), otherwise known as diesel.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the operators sourced sludge oil, also known as black sludge, from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and transported it to the illegal facility in Ogere for processing.
Further investigation revealed that the illegal operators subjected the sludge oil to intense heat, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filters in a process believed to produce Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) for sale in the Nigerian market.
Security personnel at the facility told EFCC operatives that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities nor the name of the company behind the facility.
Consequently, operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC have since taken over the premises as investigations continue to establish the operators' identities, the facility's ownership, and the full extent of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage.
Discussion0