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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 operation, conducted on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, followed credible intelligence and surveillance on the activities of illegal sludge oil refiners. The refinery was deserted when EFCC 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 discovered at the facility. During the raid, operatives also discovered underground tanks believed 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.
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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 illegal facility in Ogere for processing.
Further investigations indicated 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 believed to produce Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) for sale in the Nigerian market.
Security personnel at the facility reportedly told EFCC operatives that the Chinese operators had never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the refinery.
Consequently, operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC have taken over the premises as investigations continue to establish the identities of the operators, ownership of the facility and the full extent of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage.
