The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, may seek court approval to engage licensed operators for industrial facilities uncovered during a raid on illegal petroleum refining and solid mineral processing activities in Ogere, Ogun State.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, who disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the site after the operation, in a video shared on the Arise News X page on Saturday, said the commission would work with relevant regulatory agencies to identify qualified professionals and legitimate businesses capable of managing the facilities, rather than destroy the infrastructure or allow workers employed there to lose their jobs.
He stressed that the arrangement would only proceed after the necessary court orders had been obtained.
“We are going to apply to court for all the necessary orders. And we will bring in all the relevant regulatory agencies to go and bring professionals, those who are licensed to run this kind of businesses,” he said.
The EFCC chairman explained that preserving the facilities was part of the commission’s broader strategy to ensure that assets recovered from economic crimes could contribute to national development.
“One of the high points of the fight against financial crimes and economic crime is to use it to stimulate the economy. So all these things will not be destroyed. We are going to preserve them,” he added.
He said the proposed arrangement would also protect Nigerians employed at the facilities while ensuring that any future operations were handled by properly licensed businesses.
Also Read: EFCC deepens crackdown, discovers illegal refinery in Ogere
The commission has not announced any appointed operators or confirmed that the facilities have been transferred to new management.
EFCC uncovers extensive industrial operations
The proposed arrangement follows the discovery of what Olukoyede described as an extensive industrial operation in Ogere, involving facilities allegedly used for illegal petroleum refining, the processing of high-value solid minerals, including lithium, and wood processing for export.
According to the EFCC chairman, the site contained several industrial facilities equipped with heavy machinery and independent electricity generation systems to sustain their operations.
The investigation reportedly covers suspected money laundering, economic sabotage and illegal mining, including the alleged involvement of foreign nationals.
The commission said some suspects had been arrested and were providing information about other alleged collaborators, including individuals outside Nigeria.
Investigators also discovered warehouses containing lithium batteries, telephone batteries and chargers, as well as hundreds of motorcycles suspected to have been used to provide security around illegal mining locations.
The EFCC has deployed personnel to provide round-the-clock security and surveillance at the site while investigations continue.
Olukoyede said the operation, codenamed Operation Sovereign Wealth, was aimed at recovering resources allegedly exploited through illegal activities.
He urged Nigerians to report similar operations, warning that the country suffers significant economic losses when its natural resources are illegally exploited and the proceeds taken elsewhere.
Recent enforcement actions against illegal activities
The Ogere operation comes amid ongoing enforcement efforts against illegal mining and petroleum-related activities across Nigeria.
In May 2025, the Federal High Court in Jos ordered the deportation of four Chinese nationals following their conviction for illegal dealings in solid minerals. The court also ordered the forfeiture of approximately N134.9 million linked to their activities to the Federal Government.
Similarly, in October 2026, the Nigerian Navy uncovered a suspected illegal refining site containing approximately 114,500 litres of petroleum products in Rivers State.
Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, disclosed the discovery in a statement detailing the Navy’s operations on October 15.
The Navy also arrested 10 suspected drug offenders during a separate joint operation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Delta State between October 14 and 15.
In another development, the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, sentenced 10 persons to prison for illegal dealings in petroleum products, including substandard Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel.
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