The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has uncovered a suspected illegal oil refinery allegedly linked to Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State, as part of its ongoing efforts to clamp down on illicit petroleum processing activities.
The commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, explaining that operatives attached to its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 uncovered the facility on Saturday after conducting intelligence-led surveillance on individuals suspected of engaging in illegal sludge oil refining.
According to the EFCC, the facility had been abandoned by the time its operatives arrived. The discovery came shortly after the commission carried out an operation against four illegal lithium processing plants in the same area. “The refinery was found deserted when EFCC operatives stormed the premises, following the commission’s earlier clampdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the area,” the commission said.
Investigators reportedly found remnants of waste generated from the refining activities, alongside underground storage tanks suspected to have been used in heating and processing sludge oil. The commission disclosed that two of the tanks examined contained substances believed to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly referred to as diesel.
Preliminary findings by the anti-graft agency indicated that the suspected operators obtained sludge oil, popularly known as black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before moving the materials to their facility in Ogere for processing.
The EFCC explained that the suspected refining operation involved exposing the sludge oil to high temperatures, forcing lighter petroleum components through a series of chambers and filtration systems. The process was allegedly designed to extract diesel for subsequent distribution and sale within the Nigerian market.
The commission further revealed that security personnel stationed at the premises informed investigators that the Chinese nationals believed to be behind the operation had neither identified themselves nor provided details of the company responsible for running the facility.
Following the discovery, EFCC operatives reportedly secured and took control of the premises while investigations continued to uncover the identities of those involved, establish ownership of the refinery and determine the scale of the alleged illegal operations.
The commission added that its ongoing investigation would also establish the extent of the suspected economic sabotage and identify any individuals or corporate entities connected to the operation.
