The controversy surrounding the last hours of former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, continues to stir public debate. In a recent statement, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha dismissed widespread reports suggesting that Abacha died in bed with a woman, insisting that such accounts are inaccurate.
Four days after The Nation’s report on the claims made by a retired security operator, Dennis Amachree, in his new book that the late dictator died on top of a Nigerian lady pharmacist, Abacha’s former Chief Security Officer, Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha (rtd), has come up with a rebuttal. GeographicReference
The former CSO told journalists on the sidelines of the 3rd General Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference in Kaduna yesterday that the claims contained in the former DSS official’s book was a mere script influenced by some people and did not reflect what actually transpired.
He, however, did not provide details of how the maximum ruler died beyond boasting that he had the CCTV footage of his last moments in his possession.
Al-Mustapha had previously claimed that Abacha died from a handshake he had with a security guard of a visiting dignitary.
A few days before his death on June 8, 1998, the dictator had received emissaries from then Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader, Yasser Arafat.
He also received Pope John Paul II who had visited Nigeria to plead for the release of detainees. GeographicReference
In his 348-page book titled DSS @ 40: My Journey Behind the Shield, Amachree had disputed earlier accounts suggesting that Abacha died from a poisoned apple supplied by two Indian mistresses in his company.
“The lady pharmacist on whom Abacha apparently had a coitus-induced cardiac arrest, remains the true position and puts an end to the conspiracy theories and half-truths that have gone viral,” Amachree wrote.
He also claimed to have personally interrogated the pharmacist in question, saying: “My team located and brought her to my office. I interrogated her myself.
“The first thing she said to me was: ‘I did not kill him; he died on top of me’.
“After her detailed account, I called the Director in Abuja, and she was immediately flown back.”
