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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State.
The discovery was made on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the Commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, following credible intelligence and surveillance on the activities of suspected illegal sludge oil refiners.
The facility was deserted when the operatives stormed the premises. However, they discovered waste products from the refining process and underground tanks suspected to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.
Two of the tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the operators sourced sludge oil, also called black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting it to Ogere for processing.
The suspected operators reportedly 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.
Security personnel at the facility reportedly told EFCC operatives that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the operation.
The latest discovery followed an earlier EFCC crackdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the same area.
The Commission has since taken over the premises as investigations continue to identify the operators, establish ownership of the facility and determine the full extent of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage.
