The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an unlawful oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals within the Ogere space of Ogun State, with suspected diesel and underground processing tanks found on the facility.
The fee mentioned the invention was made on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following intelligence gathering and surveillance of unlawful sludge oil refining actions.
The EFCC disclosed this in an announcement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
According to the fee, the power was abandoned when its operatives stormed the premises, following an earlier crackdown on 4 unlawful lithium processing vegetation within the space.
However, the operatives reportedly found waste merchandise from the refining course of and underground tanks suspected to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.
The assertion partly learn, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission uncovered an unlawful oil refinery operated by Chinese within the Ogere space of Ogun State.
“The operation, performed on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, adopted credible intelligence and surveillance by the Commission on the actions of the unlawful sludge oil refiners.
“The refinery was found deserted when EFCC operatives stormed the premises, following the Commission’s earlier clampdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the area. However, waste products from the refining process were discovered at the location.”
Oyewale mentioned additional inspections revealed that two of the underground tanks contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), generally referred to as diesel.
“Two of the underground tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), otherwise known as diesel,” he mentioned.
The EFCC mentioned preliminary investigations indicated that the operators sourced sludge oil, often known as black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State earlier than transporting it to Ogere for processing.
According to the fee, the operators allegedly subjected the sludge oil to intense warmth, permitting lighter petroleum elements to move by chambers and filters in a course of believed to provide diesel on the market within the Nigerian market.
The Commission mentioned the suspected operation raised considerations about unlawful petroleum processing and doable financial sabotage, though investigations are ongoing to determine the total extent of the actions.
The EFCC mentioned staff discovered on the facility have been unable to offer the identities of the Chinese nationals allegedly working the refinery or the title of the corporate behind the enterprise.
“Personnel at the facility told EFCC operatives that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities nor the name of the company behind the facility,” Oyewale mentioned.
He added that operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 had taken over the premises as investigations continued.
“Consequently, operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC have since taken over the premises as investigations continue to establish the identities of the operators, the ownership of the facility and the full extent of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage,” he added.
The Commission mentioned its investigation would deal with figuring out these behind the power, figuring out its possession and establishing the extent of the suspected unlawful refining actions.
As of the time of the announcement, the EFCC had not disclosed any arrests in reference to the invention.
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