The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered a suspected illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
The discovery was made on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following intelligence gathering and surveillance on the activities of illegal sludge oil refiners.
The Commission disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
According to the EFCC, the operation followed an earlier crackdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the area. However, when operatives arrived at the suspected refinery, the facility had been deserted.
A search of the premises reportedly uncovered waste materials from the refining process and underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.
“Two of the underground tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), otherwise known as diesel,” the statement said.
The Commission said preliminary investigations indicated that the operators sourced sludge oil, commonly referred to as black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting the material to the Ogere facility for processing.
It explained that the operators allegedly subjected the sludge oil to intense heat, causing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filters in a process believed to produce Automotive Gas Oil for sale in the Nigerian market.
The EFCC further disclosed that security personnel at the facility told investigators that the Chinese operators had never revealed their identities or the name of the company responsible for the operation.
Following the discovery, operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 took over the premises as investigations continued.
The Commission said the ongoing investigation was aimed at establishing the identities of the alleged operators, determining ownership of the facility and uncovering the full extent of the suspected illegal activities.
The EFCC described the operation as part of its efforts to tackle economic and financial crimes, including activities suspected to constitute economic sabotage.
