The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
The facility was discovered on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following intelligence gathering and surveillance of suspected illegal sludge oil refiners.
The commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
According to the statement, the refinery was deserted when EFCC operatives arrived at the premises, following an earlier operation that led to the shutdown of four illegal lithium processing plants in the area.
However, the operatives reportedly discovered waste products from the refining process and underground tanks suspected to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.
The commission said two of the underground tanks contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the operators sourced sludge oil, also called black sludge, from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before transporting it to the facility in Ogere for processing.
Oyewale explained that the operators allegedly subjected the sludge oil to intense heat, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through chambers and filters in a process believed to produce diesel for sale in the Nigerian market.
He added that workers at the facility told investigators that the Chinese operators had never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the operation.
The EFCC spokesperson said operatives had taken over the premises as investigations continued to establish the identities of those behind the refinery, determine ownership of the facility and uncover the full extent of the suspected illegal activities.
The commission described the operation as part of its efforts to tackle economic and financial crimes, including activities suspected of undermining the country’s economy.
