Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has raised alarm over an alleged procurement of thallium sulphate by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), currently headed by Nuhu Ribadu, calling for immediate public clarification on the matter.
In a post shared on X on Sunday, the 15th of February, 2026, Ribadu disclosed that he had formally written to the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja regarding reports that the agency imported the toxic substance. He attached a copy of the correspondence to his post.
“As part of my duty as a citizen, I wrote to the NSA to seek clarification on reports about the importation by his office of thallium sulphate, a very dangerous toxin.
“It’s a matter of concern if anyone brings in any poison, more so an odourless, colourless one,”El-Rufai wrote on X.
According to him, information circulating among opposition political figures suggested that ONSA allegedly purchased about 10 kilograms of thallium sulphate from a supplier based in Poland.
El-Rufai described thallium salts as substances subject to strict regulation due to their extreme toxicity.
He stressed that issues touching on public safety, institutional trust, and democratic accountability warranted transparent explanations from the appropriate authorities.
In his letter, the former governor demanded clarification on the purpose for which the chemical was acquired and its intended application.
He also requested disclosure of the supplier’s identity and confirmation of whether the importation followed due process under existing chemical or defence regulatory permits.
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Additionally, he sought details about the exact quantity and concentration of the compound obtained, alongside information on how it was stored and secured after arriving in the country.
El-Rufai further queried whether relevant regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), were notified or involved in oversight processes.
He asked whether any public health risk assessments or hazard mitigation frameworks had been developed in relation to the substance.
“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,” parts of the letter read.
