UNISFA peacekeeping force patrolling in Abyei. (Photo/File/Courtesy).

The government of Abyei Administrative Area has welcomed the decision to place the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei on administrative leave due to an ongoing investigation.

Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr is part of a confidential matter into which the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has ordered an investigation.

Guterres’ Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric announced the probe in a press briefing on 31st May 2024, but could not disclose the charges against him.

Dujarric said the Deputy UNISFA Commander, Brigadier General Ameer Muhammad Umrani of Pakistan, has assumed the role of Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander until further notice.

Reacting to the development, Abyei Information Minister Bolis Kuac, said the administrative region is happy about the decision to suspend the peacekeeping commander.

Mr. Kuac said the government of Abyei has long called for an investigation of the Nigerian army commander for allegedly failing to provide adequate security to civilians in the contested territory.

He added that the administration would love to see a new UNSIFA’s commander.

“Of course, General Benjamin Olufemi was accused of a lot of things, and if he’s guilty in the crimes that he has been accused of, I don’t think he will come back again in this position,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“We as the government of Abyei Administrative Area, are happy about this decision because, for a long time, we have been appealing for the change of this commander.”

“If it proves that he has been involved in this case, that means we would love to have a new commander in the area for UNISFA.”

General Olufemi was appointed by Guterres in February 2022. He has a military career spanning more than 34 years of service with the Nigerian Army, including as the Director of Defence Information of Nigeria’s Defence Forces in 2021.

His UNISFA leadership has been marked by recurrent inter-communal violence involving local armed youth and counterparts from Warrap State, leading to the loss of hundreds of lives.

Following the killing of the Abyei Deputy Chief Administrator in an ambush on December 31, 2023, Abyei Civil Society organizations organized a demonstration against General Olufemi’s leadership.