Growing up, we all heard the tale of Sani Abacha meeting his demise after consuming an apple from a woman, but the former Chief Security Officer, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), dismisses this notion. Al-Mustapha provides a detailed account, stating that Abacha’s health deterioration began on June 7, 1998, at the Abuja International Airport, following a handshake with President Yasser Arafat’s security personnel.

Al-Mustapha recounts the events leading to Abacha’s death: “Shortly after the handshake, I noticed the change in the countenance of the late Commander-in-Chief.” Contrary to the apple narrative, he reveals that the health crisis started after the handshake. Abacha’s doctor administered an injection on June 8, 1998, stabilizing him temporarily. However, the situation worsened later that night.

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“At about 5 a.m., the security guards ran to my quarters to inform me that Abacha was very unstable,” says Al-Mustapha. Taking swift action as an intelligence officer, he devised a plan to divert attention and reached the Head of State’s Guest House before the security guards. Despite efforts, Abacha’s condition continued to deteriorate.

Al-Mustapha sought medical assistance: “I immediately called the Head of State’s personal physician, Dr. Wali, who arrived in the place in eight minutes from his house.” Unfortunately, the attempts to revive Abacha failed, and Dr. Wali declared him dead.

Denying the myths surrounding Abacha’s death, Al-Mustapha states: “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.” He details the subsequent political turmoil, including Lt. Gen. Bamaiyi’s attempt to seize power, which Al-Mustapha thwarted by seeking the advice of senior officers like Generals Buba Marwa and Ibrahim Sabo.

In the end, they chose to support General Jeremiah Useni as the new Head of State, avoiding bloodshed. Al-Mustapha concludes, “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?’”