The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State.
The operation was carried out on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, following credible intelligence and surveillance on the activities of illegal sludge oil refiners.
The facility was deserted when 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 found at the site.
During the raid, operatives discovered underground tanks used for heating and processing sludge oil. Two of the tanks contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the operators sourced sludge oil, also known as black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State, and transported it to the illegal facility in Ogere for processing.
Further investigations showed that the operators subjected the sludge oil to intense heat, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filters in a process that produces AGO for sale in the Nigerian market.
Security personnel at the facility told EFCC operatives that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the facility.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC has 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 economic sabotage.
