The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State, where underground storage tanks containing substances suspected to be diesel were discovered.
The facility was found deserted when operatives of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 raided the premises on Saturday, October 31, following intelligence reports and surveillance linking the location to suspected illegal petroleum refining activities.
The commission disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
According to the EFCC, the discovery followed an earlier operation targeting four illegal lithium processing facilities in the same area.
Although no suspects were found at the refinery during the operation, investigators recovered waste materials believed to have been generated from the processing of petroleum sludge oil.
The operatives also discovered underground tanks suspected to have been used for heating and processing the substance. Two of the tanks reportedly contained materials suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
The commission said preliminary investigations suggested that the suspected operators sourced sludge oil, also referred to as black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting it to the Ogere facility for processing.
The suspected operators allegedly used an intensive heating process to separate lighter petroleum components from the sludge oil. The extracted substances were then passed through chambers and filtration systems in a process believed to produce diesel for commercial distribution within Nigeria.
The EFCC said investigations into the discovery were ongoing as it continued efforts to identify those behind the operation and establish the full extent of the suspected illegal refining activities.
The discovery adds to concerns over illegal petroleum processing and the activities of unregulated operators involved in the country’s oil and gas sector.
