New Nigerian appointed AU force commander in Sudan’s Darfur

Jan 16, 2006 (LAGOS) — A Nigerian, Maj-Gen Collins Remmy Umunnakwe Ihekire, has been appointed as the new force commander of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS), the African Union (AU) military mission in the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan.

According to the Nigerian daily the Guardian, Ihekire replaces Maj-Gen Patrick Okonkwo (photo), the pioneer head of the AU intervention force in the Darfur region.

Ihekire was granted regular combatant commission on 13 December 1975 and belongs to the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers. He was commander, Nigerian Army Contingent and chief of operations to the OAU-sponsored Neutral Observers Group (NMOG) in Rwanda.

(ST)