Operatives from the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended 14 Chinese nationals and one Nigerian at four illegal lithium processing facilities in Ogere, Ogun State.
The EFCC disclosed via its official X handle on Monday that the arrests followed a successful raid on the illicit plants.
According to the agency, the operation took place on Friday, October 23, 2026, after credible intelligence and surveillance efforts. During the bust, law enforcement agents recovered bags of lithium rocks, 18 mobile devices, four laptops, two decoders, a television remote control, and a trailer truck from the suspects. All 15 individuals are expected to face charges in court once investigations are complete.
In a related update, the EFCC last Thursday arraigned two individuals, Marian Elia, 19, and Izuchukwu Uzoma, 21, for allegedly stealing N35.92 million from Mrs. Esther Ogbeifun in Benin, Edo State. The defendants, charged with cybercrime, conspiracy, and theft, reportedly used their access to the victim’s phones and banking information to carry out the fraudulent transfer.
A similar crackdown occurred in Ogun State in May, when authorities dismantled a Nigerian-Mexican methamphetamine syndicate operating out of a concealed forest laboratory. The joint raids in Ogun and Lagos states led to the arrest of three Mexican chemists and multiple Nigerian suspects. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency described the seizure as the largest clandestine methamphetamine bust in Nigeria’s history.
— PUNCH Metro Report
