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Liberia: New Commander for Peacekeeping Force Named

Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
NEWS
January 11, 2004
Posted to the web January 14, 2005
Monrovia
Personnel shuffling within the ranks of the United Nations Mission in Liberia
(UNMIL) continued on Wednesday, January 12, 2005, with the announcement of a
new commander for the UN peacekeeping force in the West African country.
The UN News Service has said that Lt Gen Joseph Olorungbon Owonibi of Nigeria
will take over as Force Commander from Lt Gen Daniel Ishmael Opande of Kenya.
He was previously General Opande's Deputy as well as UNMIL's Chief Military
Observer.
Prior to his assignment in November 2003 to Liberia, General Owonibi served in
several high-level national and international positions, including Coordinator
of the Nigerian Army Training Group, which undertook the reorganization and
training of the Gambian National Army from 1992 to 1994.
He also was Commander of the first reconnaissance company in support of the
Nigerian battalion within the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
General Owonibi's appointment is the third top-level change in the Mission
within a week. Others affected UNMIL's Police Commissioner and the Deputy
Special Representative for Operations.

   

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