The Presidency has rejected a recent correspondence by former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to the National Security Adviser (NSA) regarding the alleged procurement of thallium sulphate, dismissing it as an attempt to stir political tension and divert attention from corruption allegations against him in Kaduna State.
The statement was released on Sunday, February 16, 2026, as part of a growing political dispute involving the erstwhile governor and the federal government.
El-Rufai had written to NSA Nuhu Ribadu in a letter dated January 30, 2026, seeking “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,” a post he shared on his official X account. He described the substance as dangerous and tightly regulated, emphasizing public safety and transparency.
In response, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said in a statement that El-Rufai knew there was no government procurement or importation of thallium sulphate by the NSA’s office. Ajayi accused the former governor of “playing games and… playing to the gallery” and said he should have released the NSA’s reply to his query alongside his own letter. The Presidency also asserted that El-Rufai’s actions were intended “to create political tension in the country and damage the government through deliberate misinformation.”
Ajayi further linked El-Rufai’s letter to ongoing corruption allegations leveled against him in Kaduna State, saying the former governor was attempting to “divert attention from his domestic problems” where he is facing probes over alleged financial misconduct. The Presidency argued that nationalising personal legal challenges in this manner was unjustified and a bid to skew public perception.