New commander named for UN peacekeeping force in Liberia

Personnel shuffling within the ranks of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) continued today with the announcement of a new commander for the UN peacekeeping force in the West African country.

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 the Chief Military Observer of UNMIL.

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 (UNIFIL).

General Owonibi's appointment is the third top-level change in the Mission within a week. On Monday Steinar Bjornsson of Iceland was named UNMIL's Deputy Special Representative for Operations, and it was announced on Friday that Police Commissioner Mark Kroeker of the United States will leave the Mission to become the Civilian Police (CIVPOL) Adviser in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in New York.