Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has written to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, requesting clarification over reports that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) procured about 10 kilogrammes of thallium sulphate.
In a letter dated January 30 and addressed to Ribadu, El-Rufai said information available to opposition figures indicated that the substance was sourced from a supplier in Poland.
“I am writing as a concerned citizen to seek clarification and reassurance regarding information available to the political opposition leadership about a procurement of approximately 10 kilograms of Thallium Sulphate by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), reportedly from a supplier in Poland,” he wrote.
Describing thallium salts as “highly toxic and tightly controlled substances,” the former governor stressed the need for transparency in the interest of public safety and democratic accountability.
He asked the NSA’s office to clarify the intended purpose and end-use of the chemical, as well as the identity of the supplier and whether the importation was carried out under an existing chemical or defence permit.
El-Rufai also requested details about the total quantity and concentration of the material procured, alongside information on how it would be stored and secured upon arrival in Nigeria.
Additionally, he sought clarification on regulatory oversight and whether agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) were involved in supervising the process.
He further asked if any public-health risk assessments or hazard-mitigation strategies had been developed, given what he described as the compound’s extreme toxicity.
“I want to stress that this inquiry is made in good faith, solely to ensure that due processes, safety standards, and transparency are observed,” he said.
“Public confidence in the integrity of national institutions is strengthened when potential risks are openly addressed and managed.”
El-Rufai requested a formal response or a designated contact within the NSA’s office for further engagement. Copies of the letter were sent to the heads of NAFDAC and NCDC, as well as the national chairmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The development comes a day after el-Rufai alleged on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television, that he had listened to an intercepted telephone conversation involving Ribadu.
According to him, “someone tapped” the NSA’s phone, and he heard Ribadu allegedly instructing security operatives to arrest him.
While admitting that such interception was illegal, el-Rufai claimed that similar practices are routinely carried out by the government.
