More than three decades ago, a secret mission took place in East and West Africa involving two Kenyan pilots, a former Somali president, and a journey filled with risk and secrecy.
The operation aimed to return the body of Somalia’s former leader, Siad Barre, to his homeland after he died in exile in Nigeria.
Siad Barre ruled Somalia for over 20 years after taking power in a military coup in 1969. In January 1991, he was overthrown by militia forces and forced to flee the country.
After briefly staying in Kenya, he was given political asylum in Nigeria, where he lived until his death in 1995 at the age of 80 due to illness.
Shortly after his death, a Nigerian diplomat approached two Kenyan pilots, Hussein Mohamed Anshuur and Mohamed Adan, at Wilson Airport in Nairobi. The pilots were partners in Bluebird Aviation, a private airline.
The diplomat asked them to carry out a highly sensitive mission: to secretly fly Barre’s body from Lagos, Nigeria, to Garbaharey, his hometown in southern Somalia, for burial.
The pilots immediately knew this was not an ordinary request. Returning the body of a former leader who had been forced out of power was politically risky.
At the time, Somalia was unstable, and regional relations were fragile. The pilots feared that if Kenyan authorities discovered the mission, it could lead to serious diplomatic problems.
They took a day to think about the request. Although the payment was attractive, the risks were high.
The diplomat insisted that the Kenyan government should not be informed and rejected the idea of using a Nigerian military aircraft, saying the mission was too sensitive. He also explained that Garbaharey’s runway was too small for large aircraft.
Islamic tradition also played a role in the urgency of the mission. Burial is expected to take place as soon as possible after death, and long official procedures would have caused delays. Some governments were aware of the plan, but secrecy remained critical.
After receiving guarantees from the Nigerian government that it would take responsibility if problems arose, the pilots agreed. Two Nigerian officials were assigned to travel with them.
On 11 January 1995, just after 3:00 am, the small aircraft took off from Wilson Airport. Official records listed Kisumu as the destination, but that was only on paper.
Near Kisumu, the pilots switched off their radar signal and diverted to Entebbe, Uganda. At the time, radar coverage in the region was limited, allowing such manoeuvres.
From Entebbe, the plane flew to Yaoundé in Cameroon and then on to Lagos. To avoid suspicion, Nigerian authorities provided the pilots with a Nigerian Air Force call sign when entering Nigerian airspace.
The aircraft arrived in Lagos later that day, where Barre’s family was waiting. The following day, his wooden casket was loaded onto the plane along with family members and Nigerian officials. The return journey followed a similar secret route, with brief stops for refuelling.
As the plane approached western Kenya, the pilots diverted again and flew directly to Garbaharey. Barre was buried there, and the pilots attended the burial before heading back to Nairobi.
To avoid suspicion, they told Kenyan air traffic control they were arriving from a local town. No questions were asked.
Years later, one of the pilots described the mission as the most stressful of his career. He said such an operation would be impossible today due to advanced radar and air traffic systems.
The mission remained secret for many years, standing as a remarkable story of risk, loyalty, and history hidden in the skies of Africa.
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