A former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, Dennis Amachree, has claimed that late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, believed he was untouchable and could not be defeated.
Amachree made the assertion in his new memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield, excerpts of which were published by The Nation on Tuesday.
In the book, the retired intelligence officer reflected on Abacha’s death, stating that the former ruler’s extensive security arrangements could not prevent his eventual demise, which he described as a reminder that power and influence remain temporary.
“Abacha, a military dictator who surrounded himself with a seemingly impenetrable security detail, thought he was invincible. Yet, in the end, death kept its appointment with him, rendering his concentric rings of security useless.
“His story is a poignant reminder that power is transient and that no amount of security can shield a leader from their ultimate fate,” he said.
The former DSS officer also questioned the conflicting accounts surrounding Abacha’s death, alleging that some generals, close aides and politicians may have deliberately promoted different narratives about the circumstances surrounding the former leader’s passing.
“Why did the generals, close aides and politicians deliberately propagate false narratives about Abacha’s death? Who fed the media with these fake stories?” he asked.
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Amachree argued that while facts could be suppressed temporarily, investigative efforts and public curiosity would eventually uncover the truth. He described the controversy surrounding Abacha’s death as a reflection of a broader challenge in Nigeria’s leadership culture, marked by misinformation and weak accountability.
“The confusion surrounding Abacha’s death is a microcosm of a larger problem in Nigeria: a leadership culture steeped in falsehood and a lack of accountability,” he stated.
He further alleged that before his death in June 1998, Abacha had begun plans to transform himself from a military ruler into a civilian president through a carefully arranged succession plan.
According to Amachree, the late Head of State established political parties, placed loyalists in key positions and secured their support for his emergence as a presidential candidate.
“Before Abacha died, he had perfected the plan for self-succession. He wanted to transition from military dictator to civilian president.
“He formed five political parties, put his men in charge of all of them and made all of them adopt him as their presidential candidate,” he said.
He added that the political activities created an appearance of democratic transition while serving Abacha’s ambition to retain power.
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