A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has asked the Office of the National Security Adviser to clarify what he described as information available to opposition figures regarding the alleged procurement of a toxic chemical substance.
In a letter dated January 30, 2026, and addressed to the National Security Adviser in Abuja, El-Rufai said he was seeking “clarification and reassurance” over reports that the office planned to obtain thallium sulphate from abroad.
He posted a copy of the letter on his official X handle on Sunday.
The Presidency, however, dismissed the claim, stating that there was no government procurement or importation of thallium sulphate into Nigeria from Poland through the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In a statement posted on X by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, the Presidency said El-Rufai had allegedly received a reply from the NSA’s office and should make it public.
“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is playing games and, in his typical fashion, also playing to the gallery. He knew there was no government procurement or importation of Thallium sulphate into Nigeria from Poland through the office of the National Security Adviser,” Ajayi said.
He added that El-Rufai’s actions were aimed at creating political tension and diverting attention from corruption allegations against him in Kaduna State.
According to the Presidency, the issue was not President Bola Tinubu or the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Ajayi further alleged that El-Rufai had lost political support in Kaduna State, noting that members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly had endorsed petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged N432bn corruption claims.
The development comes as El-Rufai is set to honour an invitation by the EFCC at 10:00 a.m. on Monday. His counsel, Ubong Esop Akpan, confirmed that the former governor would appear before the anti-graft agency.
El-Rufai also disclosed that he had received an invitation letter from the ICPC and asked his lawyer to confirm his attendance on Wednesday, February 18.
In his letter to the NSA, El-Rufai described thallium sulphate as a highly toxic and tightly regulated substance. He requested clarification on the intended purpose and end-use of the chemical, the identity of the supplier, authorisation processes, storage arrangements, and regulatory oversight involving the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
He also asked whether public health risk assessments or hazard mitigation plans had been developed, given 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.
The controversy follows an attempted arrest of the former governor at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
El-Rufai, in an interview on Arise TV, alleged that he became aware of plans to arrest him through a leaked conversation.
As of the time of filing this report, the Office of the National Security Adviser had not publicly responded to the letter.
