EFCC finds illegal diesel refinery in Ogun: how to protect your generator and vehicle from bad diesel

The EFCC says it has uncovered an illegal refinery in Ogere, Ogun State, allegedly run by Chinese nationals, where black sludge oil from Warri and Port Harcourt was heated and filtered into diesel for sale. The site was deserted when officers arrived, and no arrests have been announced. Here is what the commission said, and what diesel buyers can do to avoid bad fuel.

Operatives of the EFCC's Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 found the facility in the Ogere area of Ogun State on Saturday 31 October after intelligence gathering and surveillance of suspected illegal sludge oil refiners, the commission's Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said in a statement on Tuesday. The site was deserted when they arrived, but they found waste from the refining process and underground tanks believed to have been used to heat and process sludge oil. Two of the tanks contained a substance suspected to be diesel, also known as automotive gas oil (AGO), Punch and Premium Times reported.

According to the EFCC, preliminary investigations show that the operators brought in sludge oil, also called black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State. They heated it so that lighter petroleum parts passed through chambers and filters, in a process the commission believes produced diesel for sale in the Nigerian market.

Security staff at the site told the officers that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the facility. The EFCC said it has taken over the premises and is investigating the case as suspected economic sabotage, to establish who ran it, who owns it and how far the activity went. It has not announced any arrest or said how much diesel may already have been sold.

The raid followed the EFCC's arrest on 23 October of 15 people, 14 Chinese nationals and a Nigerian, over alleged illegal lithium processing at four plants in the same area, Premium Times reported; the commission said those suspects would be charged to court after investigations. ST Office did not find a response from the Chinese embassy or the Ogun State Government in trusted outlets at the time of writing.

Pidgin: EFCC talk say dem find illegal refinery for Ogere, Ogun State wey Chinese people dey run, dey cook black sludge oil from Warri and Port Harcourt turn am to diesel to sell. Nobody dey there when EFCC reach, and dem never arrest anybody. If you dey buy diesel for generator or motor, buy am for licensed filling station, collect receipt, and fear diesel wey cheap pass normal price.

How this affects you: Diesel made from refinery sludge outside approved plants has no quality checks and can clog filters, damage injectors and shorten the life of generators, trucks and buses. Buy diesel from licensed filling stations or known depots, and ask for a receipt so you can trace the supplier if there is a problem. Be careful with diesel sold in jerrycans by the roadside or offered far below the usual pump price. Warning signs of bad diesel include unusually dark colour, a strong burnt smell, heavy black smoke, hard starting and filters that block quickly. If you suspect bad fuel, stop using it, keep a sample and the receipt, and report it to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). You can report suspected illegal refining to the EFCC through its official channels.