We were told he ate an Apple from a woman and died but there is another version of the story of how General Sani Abacha died.....
Read on
Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), has dismissed insinuations that the military ruler died after eating an apple from his concubines.
Giving a detailed account on how Abacha died, Al-Mustapha said contrary to insinuations, the sudden collapse of the health system of Abacha started on June 7, 1998, right from the Abuja International Airport,immediately after one of the security personnel, who accompanied President Yasser Arafat of Palestine shook hands with him.
“Happily enough, by 9p.m., he was bouncing and receiving visitors until much later when General Jeremiah Useni, the then minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), came to see him. He was fond of the Head of State.
They were very good friends. They stayed and chatted together till about 3.35a.m.”
Al-Mustapha continued: “A friend of the house was with me in my office and as he was bidding me farewell, he came back to inform me that the FCT Minister, Useni, was out of the Head of State’s Guest House within the Villa.
I then decided to inform the ADC and other security guards that I would be on my way home to prepare for the early morning event at the International Conference Centre.
“At about 5 a.m., the security guards ran to my quarters to inform me that Abacha was very unstable. At first, I thought it was a coup attempt. Immediately I prepared myself fully for any eventuality.
“As an intelligence officer and the Chief Security Officer to the Head of State for that matter, I devised some means of diverting the attention of the security boys from my escape route by asking my wife to continue chatting with them at the door.
She was in the house while the boys were outside. From there, I got to the Guest House of the Head of State before them.
“When I got to the bedside of the Head of State, he was already gasping. Ordinarily, I could not just touch him. It was not allowed in our job. But under the situation, I knelt close to him and shouted: ‘General Sani Abacha, Sir, please grant me permission to touch and carry you.
“I again knocked at the stool beside the bed and shouted in the same manner, yet he did not respond. I then realised that there was a danger. I immediately called the Head of State’s personal physician, Dr. Wali, who arrived in the place in eight minutes from his house.
He immediately gave oga (Abacha) two doses of injection, one at the heart and another close to his neck. This did not work apparently as the Head of State had turned very cold.
“He then told me that the Head of State was dead, and that nothing could be done after all. So I asked the personal physician to remain with the dead body while I dashed home to be fully prepared for the problems that might arise from the incident.
“As soon as I informed my wife, she collapsed and burst into tears. I secured my house and ran back to where Abacha was. At that point, the Aide-de-Camp had been contacted by me, and we decided that great caution must be taken in handling the grave situation.”He added: “Again, I must reiterate that the issue of my boss dying on women was a great lie just as the insinuation that Abacha ate and died of poisoned apple was equally a wicked lie.
“It was at this point that I used our special communication gadgets to diplomatically invite the Service Chiefs, military governors and some few elements purportedly to a meeting with the Head of State by 9 a.m. at the Council Chamber.
“That completed, I also decided to talk to some former Nigerian leaders to inform them that Abacha would like to meet them by 9 a.m.”
Elaborating further, Al-Mustapha said: “The situation became charged when one of the Service Chiefs, Lieutenant General Ishaya Rizi Bamaiyi (rtd),who pretended to be with us, suggested he be made the new Head of State after we had quietly informed him of the death of Abacha. He even suggested we should allow him access to Chief MKO Abiola.
“We smelt a rat, and other heads of security agencies, on hearing this, advised I move Abiola to a safer place. I managed to do this in spite of the fact that I had been terribly overwhelmed with the crisis at hand.
“But then, when some junior officers over heard the suggestion of one of the Service Chiefs earlier mentioned, it was suggested to me that we should finish all the members of the Provisional Ruling Council and give the public an excuse that there was a meeting of the PRC during which a shoot-out occurred between some members of the Provisional Ruling Council and the body guards to the Head of State.
“When I sensed that we would be contending with far more delicate issues than the one on ground, I talked to Generals Buba Marwa and Ibrahim Sabo (all retired), who both promptly advised us-the junior officers- against any bloodshed.
They advised we contact General Ibrahim Babangida, who equally advised against any bloodshed, but that we should support the most senior officer in the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) to be the new Head of State.
“Since the words of our elders are words of wisdom, we agreed to support General Jeremiah Useni. Along the line, Bamaiyi lampooned me,saying: ‘Can’t you put two and two together to be four? Has it not occurred to you that Useni, who was the last man with the Head of State, might have poisoned him, knowing well that he was the most senior officer in the PRC?”
Source: Al-Mustapha interview with Thisday newspaper
From Nigeria stories on X
From Nigeria stories on X
I remember when he died, they cooked jollof rice for us, and gave us all "minerals". The soldiers in my school were happy eh.
ReplyDeleteI was at a NITEL phone booth in Unilag, waiting for my turn on the queue, when a faculty mate who was on the phone talking to his dad, just turned around and told us, Abacha is dead. We were like, abeg no talk o! we don't want wahala. But he insisted it was the truth, till we got to hostel, put on the TV, AIT and saw the news. Few minutes later , people trooped out rejoicing hmmm
DeleteLol
Delete😂🤣😂
Delete" I then realised that there was a danger. I immediately called the Head of State’s personal physician, Dr. Wali, who arrived in the place in eight minutes from his house who pretended to be with us, suggested he be made the new Head of State after we had quietly informed him of the death of Abacha" stella it seems a line or more is missing here
Delete🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
DeleteIt seems some part of the story has cut off.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think so.
DeleteI HAVE FIXED THE PART THAT CUT OFF; I DIDNT NOTICE IT ON TIME; NOW U CAN READ THE FULL STORY
DeleteHmmmm!
ReplyDeleteI have heard stories about officers,they don't trust each other,some are very deadly and you will never know.They poison each other with just their fingers entering your food or drinks.
General Jeremiah Useni,if you're still alive ,you need to defend yourself.
He's still alive but not healthy.
DeleteJerry boy for the girls that year. Rumour has it that he contracted that dreadful disease.
Nostalgia
ReplyDeleteI remembered that year that his death was announced.There was jubilations everywhere,some elders in our neighbourhood bought drinks for everyone
ReplyDeleteSo much jubilation oo. He remains the only Head of State whose death brought jubilation to his people in my lifetime.
Deleteuhmmm
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmm Only God knows what actually happened.
ReplyDeleteOnly God really knows as He alone is Omnipotent God. He was generous to children anyway, that's what I remember about him. When we were still children growing up in Dodan barracks, he usually dash us money from his entourage driven cars back then. When they go for Friday prayers at Babangida mosque, that's the name we call the mosque, he smiles & gives children money (both muslims and non muslims) on their way out. May God forgive his sins and restore Nigeria again.....amen
DeleteHeard it was a planned attack from top level security agents in the West, this story tallies, they obviously worked with the person that shook his hand, heard he had some sort hazardous substance on his hand. No be so dem kill Bob Marley too with poisoned sneakers?
DeleteHmmmm... Every man on earth WILL DIE. it is just a question of when?
ReplyDeleteAnd when it occurs, everything else won't matter except one's destination; Heaven or Hell.
If only all these kleptomaniac politicians knew this 🤷🏽🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
Let's all live ready, make peace with your creator while you still can here on earth. John 3 vs 16.
Hmmmm
ReplyDeleteNa waoo
ReplyDeleteI remembered when he died, the jubilation and enjoyment that night was on another level. These military officers are deadly. Very distrustful lot.
ReplyDeleteMcheeewwwwwwwwwwwwww I don't care how he died , wicked leaders.
ReplyDeleteI remembered the day he died,see jubilation in my neighborhood.. women where dancing and praising God. .
ReplyDeleteBut this story is also different from what we were told , that he ate apple and died.
I was in church I remember everybody was happy why?I don't know but he was the only head of state that people rejoiced when he died .
ReplyDeleteIn saner climes, this Al mustapha should not be walking freely and granting interviews up and down.
ReplyDeleteBut then, what do I know?
Life shaa
ReplyDeleteHmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI could remember vividly that very day. A novel or book was read to us that day titled "today your bed shall lie empty" . The news of his demised came later that evening, you need to see massive jubilation
ReplyDeleteOnly God Knows what happened that night. My Popsy use to say .. "there's nothing hidden under the sun that will not be revealed ".
ReplyDeleteContinuation please.
ReplyDeleteThat man suffer Nigeria no be small, I still remember Abacha s stove. People eat cassava peels dried and turn to elubo, the thing bitter no be small. Thank God for everything Nigeria has pass through a lot.
ReplyDeleteChai . Abacha stove ooo
DeleteAbacha no suffer us half of wetin APC government suffer Nigerians.
Delete00:02 you've said it all.
DeleteThe story eh hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteGod knows all.
What a long story. Abacha and his shenanigans back then. God have mercy
ReplyDeleteThis has easily become my best segment of Stella's blog.. please keep it coming
ReplyDeleteNice story
ReplyDeleteThis is Al-Mustapha, a very wicked and notorious officer’s version. It shows how close he was to the IBB faction. I like the history segment but history is written by victors/survivors and some are not accurate. Abacha was a terror to everybody. Even IBB loathed if not feared him and if Al-Mustapha was close to and respected IBB, who knows who truly did him in.
ReplyDeleteWhat we know (I am a Gen X en route 60) is that then US undersecretary of state, Susan Rice was in Nigeria and met with both Abiola and Abacha because Nigeria had become ungovernable after the annulment (😒 to “End SARs is the most brutal gang”).Not denying the brutality of EndSars just letting you know we had the equivalent of years of violence by successive military regimes. IBB who annulled Abiola victory was consulted as well. Within days, Abiola “drank tea” and sweated and died, Abacha “died after eating apples” etc
What we also know was the rejoicing on the streets when he died. My “Maigard” was so excited and the whole of my area (where a lot of Expats lived) was in joy! My neighbor was from Tanzania, I was a new bride, pregnant with our first child. Prov 11:20 “ And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation”
Al Mustapha is rumored to have a hand in Mrs Kudi Abiola’s demise, we are not sure. Abacha uses him to persecute all the civil rights folks including the Kutis (Fela, Beko), WS, Chima, Gani Fawehinmi, etc.and regular citizens were not spared while they all looted like CBN was in their houses. He was Abacha’s exec*tioner so his account may not be accurate/truthful. Though in the US for decades, I still wish young Nigerians will use their connections to get audio recordings of key players who may be more truthful to have the history of Nigeria in audio books from the first republic till now. Someone should have interviewed Mrs Ironsi, the first military First Lady, Mrs Victoria Gowon about things other than fashion because these women know a lot about what happened as they were confidants to their spouses. We still have WS and Femi Falana (young then but was a protege of Gani, Fela etc and may be truthful). Nigeria needs history but Al mustapha was reputed to be Abacha’s a*sas*n. I will take his word with a pinch of salt. Who killed Kudi Abiola? Her assassination was wicked. Husband and wife killed for winning the freest and fairest election in Nigeria till date.
The looting and violence under each military was worse than end sars that has scared the youths and turned them docile.
We went through more under the military and they stole more. At least we know what these folks are looting to build “public houses” at the expense of feeding the public! Jeremiah Useni kept £2bn in a carribean island country that froze and took it over because he forgot the password! Google it. Marwa was in Lagos, they all looted Nigeria and if you talked you die. Dele Giwa a journalist was killed via a letter bomb. How much did they all steal as military rulers as they passed it round like musical chairs. The most looted country in history after Congo is Nigeria! The difference is that it was plundered by its own people who are making the rest suffer.
Anyway, thanks for going down the history lane once in a while like the one with Gani Fawehinmi but my dear Gen Zs and Young Millenials, Al-Mustapha was the h*t man, the trusted chief ADC under paranoid kleptomaniac Abacha. Think about who helped him loot so much, he could not have done it personally and alone! Some memoirs are to divert and detract from true history. We need the youths to rush to interview all the educated politically aware folks in their state who had a role since 1959. Let us know our history.
The comment I've been waiting for. Al Musu, the chief a**a**in, your mind no go touch ground. You go explain tire.
Delete