The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered a suspected 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 operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following intelligence gathering and surveillance over suspected illegal sludge oil processing activities.

In a statement on Tuesday, EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that the facility was deserted when operatives arrived, following an earlier raid on four illegal lithium-processing plants in the area.

A search of the premises led to the discovery of waste materials suspected to be by-products of oil refining and underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.

Two of the tanks reportedly contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the operators allegedly sourced sludge oil, also called black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting it to Ogere for processing.

The EFCC explained that the suspected operators used intense heat to process the sludge oil, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through chambers and filters in an apparent attempt to produce diesel for sale in the Nigerian market.

According to the commission, security personnel at the facility told investigators that the Chinese nationals behind the operation had not disclosed their identities or the name of the company involved.

The EFCC said it had taken control of the premises while investigations continued to identify those behind the operation, establish ownership of the facility and determine the full extent of the suspected illegal activities.

The commission added that the discovery formed part of its ongoing efforts to combat economic and environmental crimes in the country.