The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) has convened the National Nuclear Security Committee (NNSC) following a reported security breach and theft of radioactive materials at an industrial radiography facility in Rivers State.

The regulatory agency disclosed that the incident involved unauthorised access to the facility’s radioactive source storage area and the theft of six source projectors, two of which contained Iridium-192 (Ir-192) radioactive sources. A transit container was also reported missing.

According to the NNRA, the company operating the facility formally reported the incident to the regulatory authority.

Following the report, the agency notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through its Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB), the Unified System for Information Exchange in Incidents and Emergencies (USIE), and the IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre.

The NNRA said the notifications were made in accordance with established international information-sharing procedures under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.

The National Nuclear Security Committee subsequently met last Monday at the NNRA headquarters in Abuja, bringing together relevant national security agencies and other stakeholders to assess the circumstances surrounding the incident and its potential safety and security implications.

Following deliberations, the committee agreed on a coordinated approach to investigate the breach and recover the missing equipment. It also assigned responsibilities to participating agencies and outlined measures to reduce potential risks arising from the incident.

The NNRA said the resolutions would provide a framework for investigation, recovery and risk mitigation, while reinforcing cooperation between national institutions and international partners.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting radioactive sources through regulatory supervision and collaboration with relevant security and international organisations.

However, the statement did not disclose whether any of the missing equipment or radioactive sources had been recovered, whether suspects had been identified, or whether any exposure to radiation had been reported.