Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has demanded an explanation from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), headed by Nuhu Ribadu, over the importation of a highly poisonous substance, thallium sulphate, from Poland.
El-Rufai raised the issue on Sunday in a post on X, where he disclosed that he had written formally to the National Security Adviser seeking explanations over the alleged transaction.
In the letter, the former governor described thallium compounds as extremely hazardous and subject to strict international controls, arguing that the alleged importation raised serious questions around public safety and transparency.
He said the information available to opposition political leaders suggested that the ONSA recently brought in about 10 kilograms of thallium sulphate from a foreign supplier.
He asked the security office to state the purpose for which the chemical was procured, the intended end-user, the company that supplied it, and whether the importation was authorised under any valid chemical or defence permit.
El-Rufai further requested details on the exact quantity and concentration reportedly acquired, as well as how the substance would be stored and secured.
He also sought to know whether relevant regulatory and public-health authorities, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, were involved in assessing potential risks or developing safety and mitigation plans.
According to him, “public confidence in national institutions” requires that the matter be addressed promptly and transparently.
“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, he said, adding that the substance was “odourless and colourless”, making its presence even more worrying”.
The Office of the National Security Adviser had not issued any official response as of press time.
