Former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has challenged former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd.), to produce CCTV footage or other credible evidence if he disputes the account of the late military ruler’s final hours contained in his memoir.
Amachree threw the challenge while responding to Al-Mustapha’s dismissal of his book, DSS@40, insisting that the former army officer should counter his claims with verifiable facts rather than personal attacks.
The former DSS officer maintained that his account was not a personal narrative but one that passed through the agency’s internal vetting process before publication. He disclosed that the memoir received official approval as part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of the DSS.
According to him, the agency’s endorsement was evident in its invitation to him from the United States to participate in the public presentation of the book, an event attended by top security chiefs, state directors of the DSS and members of the diplomatic corps.
Amachree dismissed Al-Mustapha’s criticism of the publication as unfounded, arguing that anyone challenging the narrative should provide documentary or electronic evidence to support their claims.
“If Al-Mustapha says my account is false and claims to know exactly what happened during Abacha’s final hours, then he should produce the CCTV footage or any other credible evidence to prove his version,” he said.
He also took exception to Al-Mustapha’s description of him as “a boy,” saying his professional career and public service record speak for themselves.
“I was seven years old when Nigeria gained independence. I retired from the DSS as an Assistant Director, a rank equivalent to a Brigadier in the military, while Al-Mustapha retired as a Major,” he said.
