El-Rufai Petitions NSA Over Toxic Chemical Allegations
The El-Rufai toxic chemical allegations have entered a new phase following a formal petition submitted by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the Office of the National Security Adviser. The move signals a calculated effort to directly confront and dispel claims suggesting his involvement in the unauthorized procurement of hazardous materials during his time in office.
Through his legal representatives, El Rufai has requested that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, provide clear evidence supporting the allegations or issue a formal disclaimer to refute them. The former governor maintains that the claims are unfounded and damaging to his reputation.
According to sources close to his legal team, the petition represents more than a routine clarification request. It is described as a strategic response to what El Rufai considers a coordinated attempt to associate him with activities that could be interpreted as threats to national security. By formally engaging the ONSA, he is calling for transparency regarding any intelligence assessments that may have linked his administration to the procurement or stockpiling of specialized chemicals.
The petition reportedly contains several key requests. First, it calls for a comprehensive review of official procurement records to determine whether any chemical imports were conducted outside established legal channels during his tenure. Second, it seeks clarification on his current security status, including whether he has been subject to surveillance or blacklisting based on the circulating allegations. Third, it demands an official public statement to address what his legal team describes as rumors being used to justify political marginalization.
This development unfolds against a politically sensitive backdrop. El Rufai, once a prominent figure within the All Progressives Congress, previously saw his ministerial nomination stalled by the Nigerian Senate following reference to a security report issued by the Department of State Services. Although the contents of that report were never made public, observers now speculate that the alleged toxic chemical procurement may have influenced that outcome.
Security analysts note that addressing the matter through the ONSA places the issue at the highest level of national security coordination. The Office of the National Security Adviser is responsible for oversight of sensitive imports and internal threats, making it the authoritative body capable of validating or dismissing such allegations.
The nature of the accusations adds to their gravity. In the current West African security climate, unauthorized access to hazardous materials is considered a major national security risk. El Rufai’s team insists that any chemicals acquired during his administration were intended strictly for legitimate governmental purposes such as water treatment and regulated industrial applications, and that all such transactions followed proper documentation and approval processes.
A source familiar with the petition stated that the former governor is seeking institutional accountability. If evidence exists to support claims of illicit procurement, it should be formally presented. If no such evidence exists, the appropriate authorities must clarify the record to prevent what they view as the misuse of security intelligence for political purposes.
With this petition now before the Office of the National Security Adviser, attention turns to the response from Nuhu Ribadu’s office. The outcome could significantly influence El Rufai’s political future, either putting persistent speculation to rest or opening a new phase of legal and institutional scrutiny.
For now, the petition represents a direct challenge to the traditional confidentiality surrounding security reports in Nigeria. By demanding formal administrative clarification, El Rufai is pushing for greater transparency in matters that carry serious political and national implications.