The EFCC says it has taken over a suspected illegal oil refinery in Ogere, Ogun State, after an operation on Saturday found the site deserted.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 discovered the facility after intelligence gathering and surveillance.
The commission said two underground tanks contained substances suspected to be diesel. Investigators are trying to identify the operators and establish who owns the facility.
The EFCC alleged that Chinese nationals operated the refinery. It said security personnel at the site told operatives the operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the facility.
According to its preliminary findings, sludge oil was brought from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt to Ogere. The material was heated and passed through chambers and filters in a process investigators believe produced diesel for sale.
Operatives also found waste from the refining process and underground tanks believed to have been used to heat and process the sludge oil, the commission said.
The discovery followed an earlier operation against four suspected illegal lithium-processing plants in Ogere. That separate operation led to the arrest of 14 Chinese nationals and one Nigerian on 23 October.
The commission said investigations into the refinery’s ownership and operations were continuing. Its statement did not announce arrests in the refinery operation.
Sources: EFCC statement; Punch; Premium Times
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