NMDPRA, EFCC Seal Chinese-Linked Illegal Refinery in Ogun
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have sealed an illegal refinery allegedly linked to Chinese nationals in Ogere-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The facility, which occupies more than three hectares of land, was discovered to have underground storage tanks with an estimated capacity exceeding 90,000 litres.
The sealing followed a joint inspection by officials of the two agencies on Wednesday, November 4, after intelligence gathered through whistleblowing exposed the refinery’s operations.
During the inspection, officials discovered underground tanks suspected to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil, a petroleum waste product, into substances believed to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
The Ogun State Coordinator of NMDPRA, Dr Atilola Akinyemi, described the facility as crude and completely illegal, stressing that it operated without approval from any regulatory authority.
He said the refinery contained locally fabricated storage tanks, separation silos, underground heating systems and cooling hydrants, indicating an attempt to replicate the operations of a standard refinery without complying with regulatory requirements.
Akinyemi warned that the recovered petroleum products could pose serious risks to vehicles and automobile engines if released into the market without proper testing.
He added that the substances could not be officially classified as diesel until laboratory analysis confirmed their composition.
The NMDPRA coordinator further disclosed that all recovered products had been confiscated by the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the EFCC Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Bawa Usman Kaltungo, said the discovery was made following information provided by a Nigerian whistleblower.
Kaltungo stated that investigations would extend to the alleged owners of the facility, some of whom are reportedly based in China.
He also recalled the recent arrest of 14 Chinese nationals over alleged illegal lithium processing activities in the same Ogere axis.
The EFCC said investigations were ongoing to establish the identities of those behind the refinery and determine the extent of the suspected economic sabotage.
The commission added that suspects would be prosecuted if sufficient evidence was established, while assets linked to criminal proceeds could be forfeited to the Federal Government in accordance with the law.
The agencies reiterated their commitment to tackling illegal petroleum activities and protecting legitimate investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
