The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal sludge oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
Operatives of the Commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 carried out the operation on Saturday, October 31, 2026, acting on intelligence and surveillance of illegal sludge oil refiners.
The facility was deserted when the operatives arrived. The raid followed the EFCC’s earlier clampdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the same area.
Waste products from the refining process were found on the premises, along with underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing the sludge oil. Two of the tanks contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
Preliminary investigations showed that the operators sourced the sludge oil, also called black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State, then transported it to Ogere for processing.
Investigators said the sludge was subjected to intense heat, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filters. The process is believed to have produced AGO for sale in the Nigerian market.
Security personnel at the site told the operatives that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the facility.
The EFCC has since taken over the premises. Investigations are ongoing to establish the identities of the operators, the ownership of the facility and the full extent of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage.
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