Ex-DSS Operative Claims Abacha Died of Cardiac Arrest During Intimate Encounter, Dismisses Poisoning Theories

ABUJA – Nearly 28 years after the death of former Nigerian military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, retired Department of State Services (DSS) operative Dennis Amachree has offered a fresh account of the circumstances surrounding the former ruler’s death, insisting that he died from a cardiac arrest during an intimate encounter and not from poisoned apples or any assassination plot as widely speculated over the years.

Amachree, a former Assistant Director of the DSS who served as Assistant Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Lagos State Command when Abacha died in June 1998, made the claims in his newly released memoir, “DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield.” According to him, his account is based on his involvement in the investigation that followed the late military ruler’s sudden death.

According to the retired intelligence officer, Abacha died at about 4:05 a.m. on June 8, 1998, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after suffering what he described as a coitus-induced cardiac arrest while in the company of a woman. He alleged that the woman, identified only as a pharmacist who had accompanied her elder sister to Abuja, became alarmed when Abacha suddenly became unresponsive during the encounter.

Amachree further claimed that the woman quietly left the Presidential Villa after requesting transportation back to her hotel before the incident became known to security personnel. According to his account, she later boarded an early morning flight to Lagos before security agencies could initially question her.

He stated that after the late Head of State’s Chief Security Officer, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, was informed of the situation, the DSS launched efforts to locate the woman. Amachree said he was subsequently directed by the DSS headquarters to track her down in Lagos, where she was questioned.

Recalling the interrogation, the former DSS officer said the woman immediately declared, “I did not kill him; he died on top of me.” Amachree said he found her testimony credible after extensive questioning and concluded that there was no evidence to support claims that Abacha had been poisoned.

For decades, the circumstances surrounding Abacha’s sudden death have generated numerous conspiracy theories, including allegations that he died after consuming poisoned apples or was assassinated by foreign agents. Amachree rejected those claims, arguing that many of the narratives circulating over the years were based on speculation rather than evidence gathered during the official investigation.

General Abacha ruled Nigeria from November 1993 until his death on June 8, 1998, a period marked by military rule, political repression and international sanctions. His unexpected death paved the way for General Abdulsalami Abubakar to assume power and begin the transition that eventually culminated in Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

While Amachree’s account provides a detailed insider perspective based on his role in the investigation, it represents his personal recollection as presented in his memoir. The exact circumstances surrounding Abacha’s death have remained the subject of public debate for nearly three decades, and his latest claims are likely to renew discussions about one of the most controversial episodes in Nigeria’s political history.