Breaking: EFCC Uncovers Illegal Refinery Operated by Chinese in Nigeria
- EFCC operatives raided an illegal oil refinery in Ogere, Ogun State, on October 31, 2026, following intelligence and surveillance
- The facility, linked to Chinese nationals, was found deserted but contained underground tanks with substances suspected to be diesel
- Preliminary investigations revealed the operators sourced sludge oil from Delta and Rivers states for processing at the illegal site
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Ogere, Ogun State - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has discovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly run by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
Operatives from the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 carried out the raid on Saturday, October 31, 2026, acting on credible intelligence gathered through prior surveillance of illegal sludge oil processing activities in the area.
Source: Twitter
This was conatined in a statement issued by the anti-agency via its X handle @officialEFCC on Tuesday, November 3, 2026
What EFCC found at Ogere facility
The refinery was empty when operatives arrived, but evidence of recent activity remained on the premises. Investigators found underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil, with at least two of those tanks containing substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
Waste materials left behind from the refining process were also recovered at the site.
Preliminary findings indicate that the operators brought in sludge oil, also called black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State, transporting it to the Ogere facility for processing.
Once there, the sludge oil was reportedly subjected to intense heat, causing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filters in order to produce AGO for sale in the Nigerian market.
Security personnel at the facility told EFCC operatives that the Chinese operators never revealed their identities or disclosed the name of the company behind the refinery's operations.
EFCC takes over premises as investigation continues
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 has since taken control of the facility as investigators work to identify the operators, determine who owns the property, and establish the full scale of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage.
The discovery came shortly after the EFCC's earlier clampdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the same Ogere area, suggesting a pattern of unregulated industrial activity in the region.
Nigerians Army destroys 20 illegal refineries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the Nigerian Army dismantled 20 illegal refining sites and apprehended 11 suspected operators during recent raids in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states.
The operations also led to the confiscation of 31 boats, seven vehicles, and 190,000 litres of various petroleum products.
Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam has urged troops to continue their efforts to eradicate all illegal refining sites in 2025.
Source: Legit.ng
