The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State, following an intelligence-led operation.
The commission said its operatives from the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 raided the facility on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance targeting suspected illegal sludge oil refiners.
The refinery was deserted when the operatives arrived, but they discovered waste products from the refining process and underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.
According to the EFCC, two of the underground tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
How the Illegal Refinery Operated
Preliminary investigations revealed that the operators sourced sludge oil, also known as black sludge, from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before transporting it to the Ogere facility for processing.
The suspected operators allegedly 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.
The discovery followed an earlier crackdown by the EFCC on four illegal lithium processing plants in the same area.
Chinese Operators’ Identities Unknown
The EFCC said security personnel at the facility told investigators that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the operation.
The commission has since taken over the premises as investigations continue to establish the identities of the suspected operators, ownership of the facility and the full extent of the alleged illegal activities.
The EFCC said the investigation would also determine the extent of the suspected economic sabotage linked to the operation.
