Adamou Biga Souley, 1973 - 2010
UN Police (Niger)
Adamou Biga Souley, a national of Niger, worked with UN Police (UNPOL) for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) since July 2008.
Born in Sakey, in the southwest part of Niger, he began his police career in 1998 at the National Police Headquarters in the capital, Niamey. He served as part of the Road Police Unit for eight years from 1999 to 2007, and then as part of the Police Assistant Unit in 2008 before his assignment in Haiti.
In Haiti, he worked in the operations and monitoring pillar, concentrating on the western region of Port-au-Prince. He also played an important coordination and liaison role with his Haitian National Police counterparts.
A colleague in Niamey said that Adamou was a highly skilled police officer who had been an asset to his home country and in Haiti as well.
Another colleague reflected that they would miss the laughter that this “tireless joker” always brought. “We will always remember a humble, hard-working man, full of joy and always ready to help,” said a colleague. “He had a sense of humour that made him loved and appreciated by all.”
“The emptiness he has left in the hearts of those he knew is immense,” said a colleague. “He leaves Niamey with sorrow, that we will not be able to see this great leader again.”
President of Niger Mamadou Tandja called the earthquake and the loss of Adamou and a fellow police officer from Niger a “terrible disaster with terrible consequences” and expressed his country’s solidarity with all the Haitian people.
Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Aïchatou Mindaoudou said she presented her deepest condolences to the families of the two policemen from Niger who died during the earthquake.
Adamou is survived by his wife Zeyna and their two children Farida, 5, and Indira, 2.