Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late Nigerian Head of State General Sani Abacha, has strongly denied claims made by a retired Department of State Services (DSS) operative about the circumstances surrounding Abacha’s death.
Speaking with journalists in Kaduna, Al-Mustapha described the allegations contained in the former DSS official’s book as fabricated. According to him, the author was influenced by others to publish an inaccurate account of the events.
“The boy was asked to write the lies by others. I have all the CCTV footage of what happened in my custody, so what he said is not true,” Al-Mustapha said.
He insisted that the version of events presented in the book does not reflect what actually happened, adding that he possesses evidence that contradicts the claims. Al-Mustapha also urged Nigerians to disregard the publication, arguing that it is unfair to make allegations against someone who is no longer alive to defend himself.
“Just ignore his lies. It’s bad to say such things about someone who is dead,” he added.
The controversy stems from a book written by former DSS operative Amachree, who recounted his version of General Abacha’s final hours.
According to the book, a woman described as Abacha’s girlfriend allegedly visited the Aso Rock Guest House in the early hours of the morning, accompanied by her younger sister, a pharmacist who was in Abuja for a conference. The author claimed that after the girlfriend returned to her hotel, the pharmacist remained behind with the Head of State.
The book further alleged that around 4:05 a.m., the pharmacist discovered that Abacha had become unresponsive while they were together. It claimed she panicked, left the guest house after requesting transportation back to her hotel, and later traveled to Lagos on an early morning flight.
Amachree also wrote that he was directed by the DSS Director of Operations to interrogate the pharmacist in Lagos. According to his account, she denied any involvement in Abacha’s death, reportedly telling investigators, “I did not kill him; he died on top of me.”
The retired operative stated that after the interview, he contacted the DSS headquarters in Abuja and arranged for the woman to be flown back to the capital for further investigation.
Al-Mustapha’s latest remarks directly challenge the credibility of that account, setting the stage for renewed public debate over the circumstances surrounding General Abacha’s death.
