January 9
In the Air - Somewhere Above Western Ubangi-Shari
Prime Minister Julius Limbani had booked onto the regular twice weekly service by Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Royal Dutch Airlines) (KLM) from Bangui to Lagos, using a Lockheed Constellation L749 aircraft. He privately wondered when the Koninklijke Kongo Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KKLM) would get its own such aircraft to readily link the capitals of Africa together. The take-off had been smooth and he settled into the flight, his secretary Charles Kalibu sat beside him as he put the finishing touches to his conference speech. The stewardess brought round coffee and the flight seemed to be going smoothly.
Suddenly Charles let out a stifled scream and toppled over forwards, his body falling into the aisle. Limbani's eyes widened with terror as he saw the bamboo spike being slowly withdrawn backwards through the back of the seat, the tip covered in blood. At the same moment a woman two rows behind saw the body on the floor and screamed. A man jumped up, grabbing the stewardess around the waist, putting a revolver to her head. Another man in the front row got up and entered the cockpit.
In his terror, Limbani was aware of a man stepping over the body and sitting down beside him, dressed in bright tartan trousers with a bristly moustache, "Don't move Mister Limbani, just sit tight, we're going to divert the plane."
The voice was Scottish, he remembered seeing the man in the departure lounge. Who these men were and where they were heading were mysteries to him as the plane banked to port.
Lagos Airport
"I don't understand you, surely you must have some information?" Baron Owija held out his hands in disbelief as he spoke to the airport official.
"I'm sorry Sir, all we know is that KLM Flight seven-four is three hours overdue. We haven't had any wireless communication with the aircraft, it could just be a technical fault." The man half-shrugged, hiding any anxieties that he might have had that the aircraft might be lost somewhere in western Africa.
The Baron's voice boomed across the terminal, "You do realise who was aboard that flight? You must find out at all costs where it is, he is an important person."
The official looked at his clipboard, "well yes Sir, I think we do realise that. We are in touch with RAF Lagos, they have offered to send out a search plane. But they should have enough fuel to make a diversion, they may well have landed somewhere else. I will of course keep you notified.
The Grand Star Hotel, Lagos
The telephone rang in the well-appointed suite for the Baron, a smartly dressed aide in a suit picked it up.
"Baron Owija's suite. The aircraft? You found it? Where? Yes I see, very curious. Any word on Limbani? How strange. Of course I will inform the Baron at once. Please keep us notified."
He hung up the phone as the Baron puffed on a cigar, the aide turned around, "That was the airport. The aircraft landed at the rough strip at Bikoro in the Province of Eqauter. All the passengers were ok, it seems the flight was hijacked by some men, they escaped and took Limbani with them."
The Baron took a long puff, "Good, I trust the local police have their instructions not to search too thoroughly. Cable my brother, 'Limbani missing, start the search', he will know what to do. Then get down to the Conference, tell everyone about this tragedy, every newspaper man you can find, I'll be along myself after a while."
Shomolu District, Lagos
The black Armstrong Siddeley Whitley saloon carrying the Baron turned into the main road heading south, as it turned into the main road to the right, a man jumped off the kerb, firing four shots from a revolver into the car. The driver swerved and knocked down a small barrow of a fruit merchant, scattering fruit pulp across the road, people screamed. The man ran into an alleyway as the car sped off at high speed down the road.
"The fool, that was a little too close for comfort," the Baron swept the shattered glass from the rear window from his jacket, "wasn't he supposed to fire blanks?"
The bodyguard bowed a little, "It was felt wiser to use real bullets Baron, the police would be bound to search for bullet holes..."
The Baron waved his hand, "of course, I know that, just make sure he gets paid off. The police will be gratified to find a silent corpse I think to solve this case."