Country lost 12 peacekeepers in UN missions in 2008

May 6th, 2009

 

 

Lagos (Nigeria) — Nigeria lost 12 military and police personnel on UN peacekeeping missions to some troubled spots in 2008, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A list of UN peacekeepers, who lost their lives in the line of duty made available to NAN in New York yesterday, stated that a total of 132 soldiers and police personnel from 47 countries died between January and December last year.

It noted that the highest casualty figure was recorded by Nigerian troops in the year under review. It also disclosed that most of the Nigerian peacekeepers died in Sudan's Darfur region while serving under the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

Others, it said, were killed following violence in Liberia, Haiti and Timor Leste.

Nigeria is ranked fourth among the 118 UN troop contributing countries.It presently has a total of 5,778 military and police officers serving on various UN peacekeeping missions.

More than 2,500 UN personnel, including military and police officers have lost their lives since 1948, according to findings.

Meanwhile, the UN will on May 29 mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, during which all men and women who served or have served under the blue flag of the UN will be remembered.

A memorial for the fallen UN peacekeepers will also be unveiled by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, on the same day at the UN headquarters in New York.

source.This Day (Nigeria)