Nearly 28 years after the death of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, a former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has challenged one of Nigeria’s most enduring political mysteries. He insists that Abacha was not poisoned but died from a heart attack.
Amachree's Revelation
Amachree made the revelation during an interview while discussing his newly released book. He dismissed long-standing claims that the late military ruler was assassinated through poisoned food or drinks. “A lot of people have come up with different stories about what happened, but they were not aware of the facts. They were looking at events from the outside and drawing conclusions,” he said.
According to him, many of the stories that emerged following Abacha’s sudden death on June 8, 1998 were based on speculation rather than facts uncovered during investigations conducted by security agencies at the time.
Dismissal of Poisoning Claims
For years, rumours have circulated that Abacha died after eating a poisoned apple allegedly supplied by foreign agents or political enemies. Other theories suggested he was deliberately poisoned as part of a wider conspiracy. However, Amachree said the evidence available to investigators did not support any of those claims. “Abacha wasn’t poisoned,” he said, dismissing one of the most popular stories surrounding the former leader’s death.
The former DSS official explained that investigators questioned a woman who was reportedly with Abacha shortly before he died. “The girl who was with him when he died was later brought to me for questioning. When she entered my office, the first thing she said was, ‘I did not kill him.’ She was very direct about it,” he recollected.
Eyewitness Account
According to Amachree, the woman provided what he described as the only direct eyewitness account of the events leading to the former military ruler’s death. He said she was extensively interrogated by security officials and that her account remained consistent throughout the investigation. Based on her testimony and other findings gathered during the probe, Amachree said he became convinced that Abacha died of natural causes rather than poisoning. “From everything she told me and from what I gathered during the investigation, I strongly believe it was a heart attack,” he said.
Abacha's Legacy and Continued Debate
Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998, remains one of the country’s most controversial leaders. His administration was marked by allegations of human rights abuses, suppression of political opposition and widespread corruption. At the same time, some supporters credit his government with maintaining economic stability and strengthening foreign reserves.
His sudden death at the age of 54 triggered widespread speculation, partly because of the secrecy surrounding the circumstances and the absence of publicly released autopsy findings. Over the years, numerous former government officials, diplomats and political actors have offered different explanations for what happened, helping to keep the debate alive. Amachree’s latest comments add a new chapter to the decades-long controversy, but they are unlikely to end public interest in one of the most discussed deaths in Nigeria’s political history.
