The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in joint operations with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has sealed an illegal oil refinery operating on over three hectares of land in Ogere-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
​Regulatory officials confirmed on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, that the site housed a crude processing setup equipped with an underground storage tank estimated to hold more than 90,000 litres of petroleum sludge and refined products. ​The raid was carried out following intelligence-driven surveillance by operatives from the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2.
Joint security and regulatory teams stormed the secluded facility in the Ogere-Remo axis off the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. ​Inspectors discovered that the clandestine facility operated under the guise of an industrial compound, featuring heavy-duty heating systems, distillation units, and an extensive network of pipes connected to massive underground storage pits. ​
Speaking during the joint inspection and sealing of the site on Wednesday, officials from the NMDPRA condemned the operation as a grave act of economic sabotage and a severe environmental hazard. ​”The facility you see here is very crude and completely illegal. This is not a refinery by any standard,” stated an NMDPRA official.
“This facility does not have a permit from any regulatory authority, and its operations were completely unknown to the relevant authorities. A discovery of this magnitude relies on deep intelligence gathering, and we are working closely with law enforcement to clamp down on all such facilities.” ​
Also speaking at the scene, the Director of the Department of Proceeds of Crime Management at the EFCC, Mr. Gbolahan Latona, highlighted the wider economic threats posed by such illicit plants. ​”Illegal petroleum operations undermine legitimate investments in Nigeria’s refining industry and deprive the nation of vital revenues,” Latona stated.
“The commission will ensure that assets established as proceeds of crime are recovered and put to productive use in accordance with the law, following the necessary judicial processes.” ​Latona assured that suspects arrested during the operation face immediate prosecution once investigations conclude, adding that the EFCC is extending its inquiry to trace offshore financiers and collaborators linked to the illegal refinery.
Preliminary reports indicate the involvement of foreign interests, including Chinese nationals, operating the facility behind closed gates. Local residents noted that suspicious movement around the sprawling 3-hectare property had gone unchecked under the pretense of private industrial manufacturing.
​The NMDPRA confirmed that the plant has been formally shut down and cordoned off to prevent further contamination or unauthorised access while environmental remediation and asset forfeiture proceedings commence.
