Dennis Amachree, a former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), has called on Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd.), the former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to present CCTV footage or other credible evidence if he disputes the account of Abacha’s final hours as documented in Amachree’s memoir.
Amachree issued this challenge in response to Al-Mustapha’s criticism of his book, “DSS@40,” urging the former army officer to address his claims with verifiable facts rather than personal attacks.
He emphasized that his memoir is not a personal recollection but a vetted account that underwent the DSS’s internal review process and received official approval as part of the agency’s 40th anniversary celebrations. Amachree noted that the DSS’s endorsement was demonstrated by his official invitation from the United States to attend the book’s public presentation, which was attended by top security officials, DSS state directors, and members of the diplomatic community.
Dismissing Al-Mustapha’s objections as baseless, Amachree insisted that any challenge to his narrative should be supported by documentary or electronic evidence.
“If Al-Mustapha insists my account is false and claims to know what truly happened during Abacha’s final hours, then he should produce CCTV footage or any credible evidence to prove his version,” Amachree stated.
He also rejected Al-Mustapha’s attempt to belittle him, pointing out his extensive professional and public service record. “I was seven years old when Nigeria gained independence. I retired from the DSS as an Assistant Director, a rank equivalent to Brigadier in the military, while Al-Mustapha retired as a Major,” Amachree added.
