UN-AU hybrid force commander in Darfur escapes assassination attempt

September 27, 2007 (LAGOS) — Nigerian Army General Martin Luther Agwai, commander of the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur, Sudan escaped an assassination attempt in his home state of Kaduna according to press reports.

Agwai’s convoy consisting of two vehicles was attacked by eight gunmen who opened fire . Agwai’s brother was in the first jeep but was left unharmed.

Agwai’s jeep rushed away from the scene which was close to his sister’s house he was visiting.

Agwai’s brother in law told the local Leadership newspaper that “the assassins assumed General Agwai was in one of the jeeps, so they just opened fire on the one heading to the gate of the [his] house”.

Nigerian Army Spokesman, Col. USA Giwa-Amu, said that Agwai was unhurt in the attack. Nigerian troops combed the area looking for the assassins.

However some sources said that the attack was merely armed robbery. There was no independent confirmation of that.

The former Chief of staff was appointed last August to lead the biggest peacekeeping operation in the world with 20,000 troops and 6,000 police under his command.

(ST)