How Former African Leader in Exile Died in Lagos, Nigeria: Body Secretly Flown Out
- An experienced Kenyan pilot has discussed a covert operation to transport Siad Barre's body from Nigeria to Somalia
- Sarre was a Somali military officer, politician, and revolutionary who served as the third president of Somalia from October 21, 1969, to January 26, 1991
- For the covert travel, the flight's destination was disguised as Kisumu in Kenya, while en route to Garbaharey, Somalia, for the late Barre burial
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering African matters and global affairs.
Nairobi, Kenya - For the first time, Kenyan pilot Hussein Mohamed Anshuur has spoken about the secret mission to transport the body of Somalia’s former ruler, Siad Barre, back home.
In an interview with the BBC published on Friday, January 9, Anshuur revealed that a Nigerian diplomat approached him and fellow pilot Mohamed Adan to carry out the operation. While the financial offer was very attractive, the pilots chose not to disclose the amount.
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Kenyan pilot recalls high-profile covert flight
Anshuur, a Bluebird Aviation pilot, recalled:
"We first advised him (the unnamed Nigerian diplomat) to use a Nigerian Air Force aircraft, but he refused. He said that the operation was too sensitive and that the Kenyan government must not be informed.
"It wasn't an easy choice, but we felt the responsibility to execute the trip."
Legit.ng recalls that after being overthrown by various rebel militias during the Somali Civil War, Barre fled Mogadishu on January 26, 1991, accompanied by his son-in-law, General Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan. He initially stayed in Burdhubo, southwestern Somalia, a stronghold of his family, fleeing in a tank carrying reserves from the Somali central bank, including gold and foreign currency estimated at $27 million. From there, Barre launched a military campaign to regain power, attempting twice to retake Mogadishu. By May 1991, he was defeated by General Mohamed Farrah Aidid’s forces and forced into exile.
Barre first moved to Nairobi, Kenya, but faced protests from opposition groups and pressure over the Kenyan government’s support, prompting him to relocate to Nigeria two weeks later. He died of a heart attack on January 2, 1995, in Lagos.
For the secret operation to return his body to Somalia, the pilots filed a flight manifest listing Kisumu, a lakeside city in western Kenya, as their destination.
"That was only on paper. When we got close to Kisumu, we switched off the radar and diverted to Entebbe in Uganda."
Confidential flight returns Barre’s body
At the time, radar coverage across much of the region was limited, a gap the pilots knew they could exploit. Upon landing in Entebbe, the pilots told airport authorities that the aircraft had arrived from Kisumu, while the two Nigerian officials on board were instructed to remain silent and not disembark. The plane was refuelled, and Yaoundé, Cameroon, was declared as the next destination, where Nigerian diplomats assisting with the operation were waiting, Anshuur revealed.
After a brief stop, the aircraft continued to Lagos. Before entering Nigerian airspace, the government instructed the pilots to use a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) call sign, 'WT 001', to avoid suspicion. They arrived around 13:00 on January 11, 1995, where Barre’s family was waiting. After resting for the day, the pilots prepared for the final leg of the journey: transporting Barre’s body to Garbaharey in Somalia.
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On January 12, 1995, his wooden casket was loaded onto the aircraft. The two Nigerian officials joined the flight, along with six family members, including his son Ayaanle Mohamed Siad Barre. The aircraft retraced its route, stopping briefly in Yaoundé before flying to Entebbe to refuel. Ugandan authorities were told the final destination was Kisumu, Kenya.
As they neared Kisumu, the pilots diverted, flying directly to Garbaharey. After the casket was offloaded, Anshuur and his co-pilot attended the burial before departing for Wilson Airport, with the two Nigerian officials on board.
The controversial trip took place during Nigeria’s military era, when Barre had been granted political asylum by the country, then led by military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida.
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Source: Legit.ng
