El-Rufai alleges Ribadu’s office imported toxic chemical from Poland, seeks answers

FORMER Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has accused the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), headed by Nuhu Ribadu, of importing a highly poisonous chemical compound and has called for an urgent explanation over the alleged deal.

The former governor raised the claim on Sunday through a post on X, where he shared a letter he said he addressed to the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja. According to Mr El-Rufai, the matter concerns the reported purchase of thallium sulphate, a substance widely regarded as extremely toxic.

Explaining his decision to write to the NSA, Mr El-Rufai said he was acting in his capacity as a citizen to demand clarity on what he described as a disturbing development. He warned that thallium sulphate is colourless, odourless and lethal, making its importation a serious public safety issue if not properly regulated.

In the letter, El-Rufai stated that information available to leaders of opposition political parties indicated that ONSA had allegedly procured about 10 kilograms of the chemical from a supplier based in Poland. He said the reported transaction raised red flags, given the strict controls that normally surround substances of such high toxicity.

READ ALSO: ‘Is your life now better under President Tinubu?’ El-Rufai asks, says Kaduna govt pays bandits

He described thallium salts as tightly regulated compounds whose handling requires special authorisation, adding that democratic accountability and public trust demand full disclosure whenever such materials are brought into the country.

El-Rufai requested that the NSA’s office provide details on the purpose and end-use of the chemical, the identity of the foreign supplier, and whether the importation was conducted under any valid chemical or defence permits.

He also asked for clarification on the exact quantity, form and concentration of the substance reportedly acquired, as well as the storage conditions and security measures put in place after its arrival in Nigeria.

Beyond procurement and handling, the former governor sought information on the level of regulatory oversight. He asked whether ONSA had coordinated with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and whether any public health risk assessments or hazard-mitigation plans had been prepared.

Parts of the letter quoted by Mr El-Rufai said he was writing as a ‘concerned citizen’ who wanted reassurance about reports circulating within the political opposition regarding the alleged purchase of thallium sulphate from Poland.

So far, the Office of the National Security Adviser has not publicly responded to the claims or the requests for clarification made by the former governor.

“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,” he said on X.

Netizens divided

However, netizens were divided into 2 groups. A group supported Mr El-Rufai, while another opposed him. A data analyst, Mr Olamide Oni, wrote: “If there are legitimate questions from the security agencies, the honourable path is neither melodrama nor innuendo. It is simple: present yourself, submit to inquiry, and answer. A statesman does not wage proxy battles in the court of public hysteria while feigning persecution. He walks into the light and speaks.”

READ ALSO: Ribadu to El-Rufai: Submit proof to DSS over toxic chemical claims

He added, “You cannot vilify others for wielding instruments of power you once brandished with enthusiasm. You cannot decry institutional force when it is no longer at your command. If there are allegations, let them be tested. If there are questions, let them be answered. Spare us the sanctimony. In the hierarchy of political amnesia, it is difficult to distinguish the accuser from the accused when both are cut from the same troubled cloth.”

Another X user,Ekenemchukwu, @e_ekenem, asked: “How is El-Rufai getting information from the NSA. If you can have all this information then you have first hand information to everything happening in ASO ROCK.”

Another X user, @AlexEZIREALI43, who says he is a data analyst, wrote: “Thallium compounds are extremely poisonous which can cause nerve damage, organ failure and death in both human and animals, this chemical is not used currently due to its extreme toxicity.. every sensible Nigerian should rise and ask what this chemical purchases is for?”

A web designer, Emmanuel Odekina Iyede, wrote: :Why would the NSA’s office need to import thallium sulphate? Pest control? Research? Security operations? Clear communication would shut down speculation immediately. Transparency protects everyone.”