NMDPRA, EFCC seal off Chinese-linked illegal refinery in Ogun

Officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday raided an illegal refinery linked to the Chinese at Ogere-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The officials stormed the facility after the EFCC’s intelligence exposed what investigators described as a well-fenced, crude but technically sophisticated refinery occupying over three hectares of land.

The team spotted underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil, waste products from refining, and substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, otherwise known as diesel.

NMDPRA officials sealed off the facility during the inspection.

The State Coordinator of NMDPRA, Dr Atilola Akinyemi, said the facility was operating without permit from any regulatory authority.

According to him, an underground storage facility behind the site has an estimated capacity of more than 90,000 litres, with underground heating systems, water hydrants for cooling, locally fabricated tanks and silos for separation.

“This facility you see here is very crude and completely illegal. This is not a refinery by any standard. It does not have a permit from any regulatory authority and its operations are unknown to the relevant authorities.

“They appear to be technically skilled people who have deliberately designed this facility to circumvent government regulations. When we examine their final product, it may look like diesel to the average person, but we cannot classify it as diesel until laboratory tests have been conducted,” he said.

The EFCC, Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Bawa Usman Kaltungo, said, “What we have seen here is an illegal refinery with a complete setup, featuring all the processes through which sludge passes before being converted into what is commonly referred to as diesel. Judging by the nature of this facility, it has been operating for years.”

Kalango said the same Ogere axis has become a hub of illegal activities by foreign nationals, recalling that 14 Chinese nationals were arrested a week earlier over illegal lithium processing.

“Some of them had passports, while others did not. Even among those who had passports, we discovered that some of their visas had expired about three months earlier. Yet, there were still individuals operating there without passports,” he said.

He vowed that the operators will be brought to book.

Also speaking, Director, Department of Proceeds of Crime Management, EFCC, Mr. Gbolahan Latona, said “Imagine allowing saboteurs like these to operate freely and undermine the efforts of legitimate investors like Dangote Refinery. Ultimately, it is Nigerians who will suffer.”