A former Deputy Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has thrown down a stark challenge to Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd.), the late Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha: produce the CCTV footage of the former military ruler’s final moments, or cease his criticism.
Amachree’s demand comes in direct response to Al-Mustapha’s recent dismissal of his memoir, DSS@40. The retired intelligence officer insisted that his erstwhile colleague should rebut his account with verifiable evidence rather than resort to personal attacks.
In a statement on Monday, Amachree stressed that his memoir was not a private recollection but an officially vetted publication, having undergone the agency’s rigorous internal clearance process. He noted that the book received formal approval as part of activities commemorating the DSS’s 40th anniversary.
According to Amachree, the agency’s endorsement was underscored by its invitation to him from the United States to attend the book’s public presentation—an event graced by top security chiefs, state directors of the DSS, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Dismissing Al-Mustapha’s critique as baseless, Amachree argued that any individual contesting the narrative bore the burden of proof.
“If Al-Mustapha insists my account is false and claims intimate knowledge of Abacha’s final hours, let him produce the CCTV recordings or any other credible documentary evidence to substantiate his version,” Amachree asserted.
The former DSS chief also took umbrage at Al-Mustapha’s condescending reference to him as “a boy,” pointing to his decades of service and professional standing.
“I was seven years old when Nigeria gained independence. I retired from the DSS as a Deputy Director—a rank equivalent to a Brigadier in the military—whereas Al-Mustapha retired as a Major,” he said.
Amachree’s challenge now places the onus on Al-Mustapha to either produce the long-speculated footage or withdraw his objections, reigniting public interest in one of Nigeria’s most closely guarded historical events.