The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered four allegedly illegal lithium processing plants in Ogere, Ogun State, with 14 Chinese nationals and a Nigerian arrested over their operations.

The suspects were apprehended on Friday, October 23, 2026, by operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following intelligence gathering and surveillance.

The arrests brought the number of suspects in custody to 15 as the anti-graft agency investigates the activities of the facilities and the circumstances surrounding their operations.

Items recovered during the operation included bags of lithium rocks, 18 mobile phones, four laptop computers, two decoders, a television remote control and a trailer truck.

The EFCC said the recovered items would form part of the ongoing investigation, adding that the suspects would be charged to court upon its conclusion.