Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State.

The facility was discovered on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by team members from the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following targeted intelligence gathering and surveillance on illicit sludge oil refining activities in the region.

In a statement released on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the facility was deserted when anti-graft operatives stormed the location, coming shortly after an earlier enforcement crackdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the vicinity.

Despite finding the premises abandoned, EFCC personnel discovered waste products from refining, specialized chambers, and underground tanks used to heat and process sludge oil.

Inspection of two underground storage tanks revealed substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.

Preliminary findings indicate that the operators sourced "black sludge" from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before transporting it to Ogun State for illegal processing into refined petroleum products for the local market.

Personnel interviewed at the facility revealed that the Chinese operators maintained strict secrecy, refusing to disclose their personal identities or the corporate name backing the processing facility.

Operatives from the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 have taken full possession of the site while comprehensive investigations continue to unmask the owners, identify all collaborators, and establish the full scale of the economic sabotage.