Former DSS Official Reveals True Cause of Abacha's Death
Dennis Amachree, a former assistant director of the Department of State Services (DSS), has provided what he calls the definitive account of how Nigeria's military ruler Sani Abacha died on June 8, 1998. The account, drawn from his direct involvement in the aftermath of that night, is detailed in his newly published memoir, "DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield." At the time, Amachree served as assistant director of operations and intelligence at the DSS command in Lagos.
The Night of June 8, 1998 at Aso Rock
According to Amachree, Abacha's girlfriend, described as an Igbo woman, arrived at the Aso Rock Guest House around 2:40am. She was accompanied by her younger sister, a pharmacist who was in Abuja for a conference. Abacha had recently bought the girlfriend a new SUV. The two women stopped at the villa to greet him. The military ruler took an interest in the younger sister, and after a short time the girlfriend returned to her hotel, leaving the pharmacist alone with Abacha.
At approximately 4:05am, the pharmacist noticed that Abacha had become motionless and unresponsive during an intimate encounter. She checked his pulse and found none. She dressed hurriedly and told the soldier on guard duty that Abacha had requested a car to take her back to her hotel. The soldier arranged transport without suspicion. She returned to the Hilton, briefed her sister, and the two quickly drove to Abuja Airport to board the 7am Okada Airline flight to Lagos.
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Abacha's chief security officer, was not informed of the general's condition until 5am. By the time the DSS reached the Hilton to locate the girlfriend, the pharmacist was already airborne.
Interrogation in Lagos
Following a call from the director of operations at DSS national headquarters, Amachree's team tracked down and brought the pharmacist to his office in Ogudu, Lagos, where he conducted the interrogation himself, as reported by The Cable. "The first thing she said to me was: 'I did not kill him, he died on top of me,'" Amachree wrote. After the woman gave her full account, he contacted the director in Abuja and she was flown back immediately.
Amachree said her version of events directly contradicts the various theories, including stories about "imported Indian girls and poisoned apples," that have circulated since Abacha's death, according to Vanguard. "The lady pharmacist's account, 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," he wrote.
Abacha's Legacy and Aftermath
Abacha ruled Nigeria from November 1993 until his death in June 1998. His time in power was marked by widespread human rights abuses and the suppression of political opposition, including the detention of MKO Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, who died in custody barely a month after Abacha. The revelation from Amachree's memoir provides a long-awaited clarification on the circumstances surrounding the dictator's sudden death, which had fueled numerous conspiracy theories for over two decades.
