A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Victor Malu, who served under former president Olusegun Obasanjo, is dead. Gen. Malu died at the age of 70.
He died on Monday morning at a Cairo, Egypt hospital where he had traveled to for normal medical check-up two weeks ago.
The former ECOMOG Commander (Peace Keeping Force), from August 1996 to January 1998 was Chief of Army Staff during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration May 1999 to April 2001.
Born in January 15, 1947 at Katsina-Benue State, Malu enrolled at the Nigerian Defense Academy in Kaduna in 1967 as part of the 3rd Regular Course and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1970.
The former Army Chief chaired the Military Tribunal that tried the former Chief of General Staff, and Vice Chairman, Armed Forces Ruling Council, Gen. Oladipo Diya and others over the alleged failed coup plot against the then Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha.
In late 1999, Mr. Obasanjo ordered hundreds of troops to Odi, a town in the Niger Delta, after 12 police officers were killed. The soldiers flattened Odi and killed many civilians. Later, Mr. Obasanjo expressed regret.
In October 2001 there were protests by Tiv people in Zaki Biam, Katsina-Ala local government, Benue State. 19 soldiers sent to restore peace were killed. In retaliation, the army allegedly massacred 100 people. Malu said armed men burst into his own home and killed four of his household before burning down neighbouring houses.
