Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr speaks to the media after meeting First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in Juba. (-)

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has placed the acting head of mission and force commander of the organization’s peacekeeping mission in Abyei on administrative leave pending investigation involving him.

Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, a Nigerian national, was appointed in February 2022 as Force Commander for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, revealed the ongoing investigation in a press briefing on Friday but could not disclose the charges against him.

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

“Just an update from our peacekeeping mission in Abyei (UNISFA), the Secretary-General has placed the acting Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNISFA on administrative leave with full pay, pending an investigation involving him,” Dujarric said.

“I don’t have any more information to share with you at this point, given the confidentiality of such investigations.”

The spokesperson further noted that the administrative leave with full pay is not a disciplinary measure and is without prejudice to the Major General’s rights.

General Sawyerr 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.

He previously served different positions, first as Commandant of the Nigerian Army Armour School, held the position of Brigade Commander twice, and was Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Battalion with the United Nations Mission in Liberia from 2009-2010.

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

Joined by angry residents, the coalition of activist submitted a letter of objection, calling for replacement of the Nigerian commander, for allegedly failing to protect civilians.