Ex-DSS Director Challenges Al-Mustapha to Produce CCTV Footage Over Abacha Death Dispute.
By Umar Usman Duguri | The Analyst Online Media.
ABUJA — A retired Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has challenged former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd.), to provide CCTV footage of the late military ruler’s final hours if he disputes the account contained in Amachree’s recently published memoir.
The challenge follows Al-Mustapha’s rejection of claims made in Amachree’s book, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield, in which the retired intelligence officer alleged that General Abacha died in the early hours of June 8, 1998, after suffering what he described as a coitus-induced cardiac arrest.
Al-Mustapha has publicly dismissed the account as false and urged Nigerians to disregard the claims.
Reacting during a telephone interview with The Nation, Amachree maintained that those disputing his account should present evidence rather than issue outright denials.
“If he says what I wrote is false, let him produce the CCTV footage of what happened,” Amachree said.
He argued that a mere denial does not invalidate the contents of his memoir, insisting that any rebuttal must be supported by verifiable evidence.
Amachree also defended his professional background, noting that he retired from the DSS as an Assistant Director, a rank he said is equivalent to that of a Brigadier in the Nigerian Army, while Al-Mustapha retired as a Major.
According to him, his account was based on his experience and involvement in the security investigation that followed General Abacha’s sudden death at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The retired intelligence officer added that his memoir reflects what he described as firsthand knowledge of the events surrounding the late military leader’s final hours.
A Long-Standing National Debate
General Sani Abacha’s death on June 8, 1998, remains one of the most debated episodes in Nigeria’s political history. Over the years, differing accounts have emerged regarding the circumstances surrounding his passing, with various claims from former officials, political associates, and commentators.
The latest exchange between Amachree and Al-Mustapha has once again renewed public interest in the unresolved questions surrounding the former Head of State’s death.
As of the time of filing this report, no independently verified official evidence has been made publicly available to conclusively substantiate either account, and the differing narratives remain subject to public debate.
The Analyst will continue to monitor developments and provide factual updates as more information becomes available.