‘He Died on Top of Me’: New Book Reveals Lady Pharmacist’s Account of How Abacha Died
Nearly three decades after the sudden death of Nigeria’s former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, a fresh account contained in a new book by retired Department of State Services (DSS) operative Dennis Amachree has reignited public interest in one of the country’s most enduring political mysteries.
In his newly released 348-page memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield, Amachree claims that the woman who was with Abacha during his final moments insisted she played no role in his death.
According to the retired intelligence officer, the woman—whom he described as an Igbo pharmacist—told investigators: “I did not cause his death; he passed away on top of me.”
Amachree, who served as Assistant Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Lagos State State Security Service (now DSS), said Abacha died at about 4:05 a.m. on June 8, 1998, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after allegedly suffering a cardiac arrest during an intimate encounter.
He wrote that following the incident, the woman immediately boarded a flight to Lagos before security operatives traced and brought her in for questioning.
Recounting the interrogation, Amachree said the woman repeatedly maintained her innocence, insisting that the former military ruler collapsed during the encounter.
After taking her statement, he said he briefed his superiors in Abuja, after which she was flown back to the Federal Capital Territory.
The retired DSS officer argued that the woman’s testimony represents the most accurate account of Abacha’s final moments and dismissed other theories that have circulated over the years as speculation.
Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from November 1993 until his sudden death on June 8, 1998, died at the age of 54.
His unexpected passing sparked widespread speculation, with theories ranging from poisoning to the use of performance-enhancing substances and other conspiracy claims.
However, no official autopsy or government report has ever publicly established the exact cause of his death.
As a result, Amachree’s account should be understood as his personal recollection published in his memoir and not as an officially verified conclusion.
The revelations are expected to rekindle debate over one of the most controversial chapters in Nigeria’s political history, as readers weigh the credibility of a former senior intelligence officer’s firsthand account against decades of unanswered questions.
