By: ABC News Nigeria
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered a suspected illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State, raising fresh concerns over illicit petroleum processing and economic sabotage.
The discovery followed a special intelligence-led operation carried out on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, targeting suspected illegal sludge oil refiners operating in the area.
EFCC operatives reportedly stormed the facility after gathering credible intelligence and conducting surveillance on the activities of the suspected operators.
However, the refinery was found deserted when the anti-graft agency’s team arrived, with no Chinese operators or other suspects found at the premises.
Despite the absence of the operators, investigators discovered substantial evidence of suspected illegal refining activities, including waste products from the processing operation and underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and refining sludge oil.
Two of the underground tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
Preliminary findings by the Commission indicated that the suspected operators sourced sludge oil, popularly called black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting the materials to the Ogere facility for processing.
Investigators further established that the crude waste material was subjected to intense heating, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filtration systems in what appeared to be an attempt to produce diesel for commercial distribution in the Nigerian market.
The operation reportedly came on the heels of an earlier EFCC crackdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the same area, suggesting an intensified effort by the Commission to dismantle suspected illegal industrial activities.
In a development that has added another layer of mystery to the investigation, security personnel at the facility reportedly told EFCC operatives that the Chinese nationals operating the refinery never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the business.
The absence of identifiable ownership details has now become a major focus of the ongoing investigation.
The EFCC has consequently taken over the premises as it intensifies efforts to identify the suspected Chinese operators, establish the ownership of the facility and determine the full scale of the alleged illegal petroleum processing activities.
The Commission is also investigating the possible economic implications of the operation, particularly its suspected involvement in the production and sale of illegally refined petroleum products.
The discovery represents another major development in the EFCC’s efforts to combat economic crimes and activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s legitimate petroleum industry.
Investigations are ongoing.
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