The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has formally asked former Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai to present any evidence he claims to possess regarding the alleged procurement of a highly toxic chemical to Nuhu Ribadu and the Department of State Services (DSS) for investigation. The demand comes on the heels of a letter and public allegations by El-Rufai that the NSA’s office imported approximately 10 kilograms of thallium sulphate, a compound described by scientists and regulatory authorities as colourless, odourless, and capable of causing death in small doses.
In a letter publicly shared on social media by El-Rufai, he described reports of the alleged procurement from a supplier in Poland and said the purported import raised serious questions about regulatory compliance, public safety, and transparency. He sought clarifications on the intended purpose, end-use, supplier details, regulatory permits, and storage and oversight arrangements in relation to the transaction.
ONSA’s response, conveyed through Brigadier-General OM Adesuyi on behalf of Ribadu, categorically denied that the office had procured or initiated the purchase of thallium sulphate. The reply acknowledged receipt of El-Rufai’s correspondence and stated that the allegation had been referred to the Department of State Services for a thorough investigation, inviting El-Rufai and any other parties with relevant information to support an inquiry and establish the facts. 
The document rejecting the claim demands that El-Rufai submit concrete evidence rather than public speculation. The response initially was rejected by security operatives upon delivery, but was later signed for and received at El-Rufai’s Abuja address over the weekend.
The roots of the present standoff stretch back to tensions between El-Rufai and Ribadu that have simmered over several years.
El-Rufai, a former Federal Capital Territory minister before becoming governor of Kaduna State, and Ribadu, Nigeria’s first post-return-to-democracy Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman before he was appointed National Security Adviser by President Bola Tinubu, were once part of the same ruling political coalition and shared overlapping roles in national policy circles. Both figures are vocal, influential, and unafraid to take public positions against critics and rivals.
Less than a week ago, El-Rufai publicly claimed that Ribadu and security operatives had tried to arrest him upon his return to Nigeria from abroad, citing an intercepted telephone conversation he said was obtained from an alleged bug on the NSA’s phone. El-Rufai made these claims in an interview aired on Arise Television, asserting that he had learned of the plot through surveillance of security bosses’ communications.
As of now, the ball lies in El-Rufai’s court to produce any documentation or verified information supporting his allegation. In the meantime, he has publicly asserted that he will be at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office in Abuja tomorrow for questioning on a different matter. The Department of State Services (DSS) is expected to also invite him to present proof of this latest allegation.
Samuel Aina