Abacha's ex-security chief dismisses operative's account of ruler's death

Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, has publicly refuted claims made by a former Department of State Services operative regarding the circumstances of Abacha's death. Al-Mustapha described the account, reportedly from a memoir by Dennis Amachree, as fabricated and urged Nigerians to disregard it.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 3rd General Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference in Kaduna, Al-Mustapha asserted that he possesses CCTV footage that contradicts Amachree's version of events. He stated, "The boy was asked by others to write those lies. I have all the CCTV footage of what happened in my custody, so what he said is not true." He did not specify if or when this footage would be made public.

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The boy was asked by others to write those lies. I have all the CCTV footage of what happened in my custody, so what he said is not true.

Al-Mustapha emphasized the impropriety of making allegations against a deceased individual who cannot defend themselves. "Just ignore his lies. It’s bad to say such things about someone who is dead," he urged. Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998, remains a figure surrounded by controversy, with various accounts of his final hours emerging over the years.

The former CSO himself is a controversial figure, having faced trial for alleged involvement in attempted murder and murder cases following Abacha's death. The ongoing debate highlights the persistent questions surrounding Nigeria's political history and the narratives surrounding its past leaders.

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Just ignore his lies. It’s bad to say such things about someone who is dead.