![Hon. Festus Keyamo SAN arrives MMIA past 11:50 p.m. Feb 23 to lead oversight of Terminal 1 fire. Joined FAAN MD & team actively managing situation. Directed morning inspection Tuesday to guide restoration & confirm safety standards. Reaffirmed focus on passenger safety. Story: [link] #KeyamoMMIA #FireIncident #FAAN](https://fullcliphq.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mym-150x150.jpg "MMIA Fire: Keyamo Inspects Lagos Airport After Terminal 1 Blaze Disrupts Flights")
The Nigerian Presidency has rejected claims made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in a recent letter to the National Security Adviser, describing the correspondence as a deliberate effort to create confusion and shift attention away from serious financial allegations against him.
In a statement released on Sunday, February 15, 2026, by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Temitope Ajayi, the Presidency said El-Rufai’s letter – questioning the alleged importation of thallium sulphate by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) – was misleading and designed to stir political unrest.
Ajayi stated that no such procurement or importation of thallium sulphate had taken place through ONSA or any government channel. He added that El-Rufai had already received a formal response from the NSA’s office but chose not to make it public, instead selectively sharing only his own letter to “play to the gallery.”
The Kaduna Corruption Link
The statement linked El-Rufai’s actions to recent developments in Kaduna State, where the State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed a petition calling for investigations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into alleged financial mismanagement totaling approximately N432 billion during his governorship (2015 – 2023).
The Presidency accused El-Rufai of trying to “nationalize his personal challenges” by framing anti-graft inquiries as politically motivated persecution. It argued that his waning influence in Kaduna – including a reported fallout with his successor, Governor Uba Sani – had driven the attempt to redirect scrutiny toward the federal government.
The date on the letter to the NSA shared by the Ex Governor reads January 30, with an acknowledgement of receipt on February 11, 2026 – one day before his return to Nigeria.
EFCC Appearance and Current Status
Ajayi urged El-Rufai to stop what the statement called “political theatrics” and cooperate fully with anti-corruption agencies. This response came just as El-Rufai was scheduled to voluntarily appear before the EFCC today, Monday, February 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
While El-Rufai has described the actions against him as a “modus operandi of personal tools” used by rivals, the Presidency maintains that the controversy is a tactical move amid mounting legal pressure.
