The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revealed that sustained investigations into illegal mineral extraction and illicit lithium processing syndicates led enforcement teams to discover an abandoned illegal refinery in the Ogiri area of Ogun State.
Desk: Anti-Corruption & Financial Crimes
Date: 5 November 2026
Time: 13:25 WAT
Location: 📍 Abuja, Nigeria
Author: Nokai Origin
The Head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, stated this during the Joint Security Press Briefing hosted at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
Responding to press inquiries regarding economic sabotage and regulatory enforcement, he explained that combing the area following the high-profile October 23 operation—which resulted in the arrest of fourteen Chinese nationals and a Nigerian operating illegal lithium processing plants along the same axis—paved the way for uncovering the clandestine refinery.
Investigation of Ogun State Illegal Refinery and Prior Chinese Arrests
Mr. Oyewale clarified that while investigating the illegal lithium operations in Ogun State, EFCC operatives traced related illicit activities to the Ogiri area, where the clandestine refinery was discovered.
Although investigators did not encounter active operators on site during the raid, all processing plants and operational infrastructure were documented and seized.
He explained that immediate physical arrests were not recorded at the refinery location because the main network operators had already scattered following the sweeping arrests of the fourteen Chinese nationals and their Nigerian associate along that specific territorial axis weeks prior, though comprehensive tracking of fleeing suspects and financial sponsors remains active.
Demystifying Judicial Trial Timelines and High-Profile Prosecution Mandates
Addressing persistent public and media scrutiny regarding perceived delays in the resolution of major corruption trials, the EFCC spokesperson outlined the strict constitutional boundaries governing investigative and prosecutorial mandates.
Mr. Oyewale emphasized that the anti-corruption agency operates strictly as an investigative and prosecutorial body, noting that the EFCC is neither the judiciary nor an adjudicative court. He stressed that arresting suspects, filing charges, and deploying top-tier legal representation does not grant the commission executive control over court dockets or trial pacing.
While citing accelerated judgments such as the landmark 75-year sentence secured against Sadimama as evidence of diligence when judicial processes align favorably, he maintained that protracted litigation in complex cases including ongoing proceedings involving former Kogi State Governor Yahya Bello across multiple courts rests entirely within the pyrotechnics and statutory discretion of the judiciary.
He urged media stakeholders to educate the public accurately on institutional roles, noting that the agency maintains an exceptional 98 percent prosecution success rate while respecting the separation of powers.
Pre-Election Financial Monitoring and Electoral Spending Surveillance
On the question of financial intelligence surveillance and monitoring of political spending ahead of the upcoming 2027 General Elections, Mr. Oyewale confirmed that background intelligence gathering is fully operational.
He stated that while specific operational strategies and premature findings will not be disclosed publicly, the agency is strictly guided by the provisions of the Electoral Act and stands fully prepared to intercept illicit campaign financing when the statutory window opens.
Bilateral Extradition Successes and Asset Recovery Milestones
Expanding on the pre-prepared performance report submitted to the ONSA briefing, Mr. Oyewale highlighted monumental achievements recorded under the stewardship of Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede between October 1, 2023, and July 31, 2026.
Through high-level international cooperation with the American Federal Bureau of Investigation under 'Operation Artemis', the EFCC successfully apprehended and extradited two Nigerian suspects, Adebola Festus Adekunle and Mudashiru Afeez Olawale, who were indicted in the United States in 2023 over allegations of minoring sexual exploitation and sextortion. The joint operation drew formal commendations from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Cumulatively, the anti-corruption agency recovered over N1.233 trillion alongside massive foreign currency seizures and secured 10,872 convictions over the 34-month reporting period.
On the preventive and educational front, the Commission inaugurated Integrity Clubs in 50 secondary schools on October 28, 2026, at Junior Secondary School, Jabi 2, Abuja, expanding institutional enlightenment campaigns across 925 primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions nationwide.
Strategic Imperatives and Looking Ahead
The operational disclosures presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission underline an uncompromising posture against economic sabotage, transnational cybercrime, and illicit resource exploitation. By combining aggressive tactical sweeps against illegal lithium mining syndicates with successful international extraditions and robust financial intelligence tracking, the commission is systematically protecting national wealth.
As political activities intensify toward the 2027 General Elections, maintaining rigorous enforcement of financial regulations alongside institutional respect for judicial processes will remain vital to upholding fiscal integrity and public accountability across Nigeria.
🏷 Tags: EFCC, Dele Oyewale, ONSA, Joint Security Briefing, Financial Crimes, Illegal Mining, Operation Artemis, Yahya Bello, Abuja, Governance, Nokai Origin
#ZigOriginals #ZigDiariesDefence #EFCC #ONSA #AntiCorruption #OperationArtemis #Nigeria
~2.png)
0 Comments