Former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd.), has dismissed claims made by former Department of State Services (DSS) operative, Dennis Amachree, regarding the final moments of the late military ruler.
According to a Daily Post report, Amachree, a retired Assistant Director of the DSS who served during the Abacha administration, recently gave his account of the late Head of State’s final movements in a newly published book.
His account has generated reactions from former officials who served under the Abacha administration, as well as social media commentators.
Speaking with journalists after the Memorial Conference on General Hassan Usman Katsina held at Arewa House, Kaduna, on Saturday, Al-Mustapha described Amachree’s account as false and urged Nigerians to disregard it.
Al-Mustapha alleged that the account was fabricated, insisting that he possesses CCTV footage showing what actually transpired during Abacha’s final moments.
He maintained that the claims made in the publication did not reflect the true events, adding that he has evidence capable of contradicting the account.
The retired army major said the author was influenced to publish falsehoods, stressing that the CCTV footage in his possession proves the account is untrue.
Al-Mustapha further urged Nigerians to ignore the publication, saying it was wrong to make allegations against a deceased person who could no longer defend himself.
Gen. Sani Abacha, who seized power through a military coup on November 17, 1993, ruled Nigeria until his sudden death at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on June 8, 1998.
The Federal Government announced at the time that the late Head of State died after a sudden illness, but the circumstances surrounding his death have remained one of the most controversial episodes in Nigeria’s political history.
Over the years, conflicting accounts have emerged from former military officers, intelligence operatives, diplomats and political actors, with books and interviews presenting different versions of what transpired during Abacha’s final hours.
Al-Mustapha, one of Abacha’s closest aides, has consistently rejected allegations and narratives he believes misrepresent the late Head of State or the events surrounding his administration.