LT. Gen. Victor Samuel Leonard Malu, a former Chief of Army Staff and Commander of the Economic Community of West African States peace-keeping force, ECOMOG, died recently in Cairo, Egypt, aged 70. A highly decorated soldier, Malu’s military career featured many remarkable achievements. He was well known for his assertiveness and boldness in airing his views on issues he felt strongly about.
Born on January 15, 1947 at Katsina-Ala, Benue State, Malu enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, in 1967, as part of the 3rd Regular Course and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1970. His career path tells of a brave and hardworking officer who was fiercely loyal to the authorities he trusted but scathing in his criticism of those he considered undeserving of his trust and respect.
Malu climbed steadily up the military ladder and occupied many important positions. He was a Chief Instructor at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria. He also served as General Officer, Training, Army Headquarters, and General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Mechanised Brigade. In 1997, he chaired the Military Tribunal that tried Gen. Oladipo Diya and other officers for attempting to overthrow the regime of Gen. Sani Abacha. One of his most remarkable postings was as Commander of the ECOMOG, from December 1996 to April 1998, during the Liberian civil war.
He was praised by international observers for bringing peace and order to the war-torn country. By March 1997, he was quoted as saying that Liberia was completely cleared of landmines. However, Malu fell out with the then Liberian President, Charles Taylor, who in 1998 accused him of trying to run a parallel government in Liberia. He was replaced as ECOMOG commander allegedly on account of this.
In a book he later wrote on the Liberian war, which was cited during Taylor’s trial at The Hague, Malu claimed that Taylor secretly smuggled arms and ammunition from South Africa through Monrovia without informing ECOMOG peacekeepers. This controversy, like some others he was involved in, did not stop him from reaching the zenith of his career in 1999, when President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him Chief of Army Staff at the restoration of democracy in the country.
He, however, occupied the office for only two years before he fell out with the Obasanjo administration. In 2003, he alleged that the Federal Government was “persecuting” him. He caused yet another controversy at a meeting of the Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) when he alleged that the military assault on his community, Zaki-Biam, killed his uncle, his two wives and destroyed his house, his father’s and left his village in ruins. He claimed the assault was carefully planned and executed to “humiliate” him. The attack on Zaki-Biam, Malu continued to lament until his death. It was one assault he would not forget.
Nevertheless, these controversies did not diminish his recognition as a respected military leader whose legacy cannot easily be forgotten. The outpouring of condolences to his family, the Armed Forces and the people of Benue State is, therefore, not surprising. President Muhammadu Buhari, in a condolence message, described Malu as a “very distinguished professional colleague who demonstrated incredible courage and leadership, including during very turbulent times in Liberia.” He also expressed the belief that the late Malu would be fondly remembered for his dedication to his military responsibilities and his numerous landmark contributions to Nigeria’s unity and development.
In the same vein, the military high command, his close associates and the traditional ruler of his community, Tor Sankera, Abu King Shuluwa, described him as a gallant and frank soldier who will be dearly missed.
Even in retirement, Malu was vocal on national issues. Just a few months before his passage, he agonised over the state of affairs in the country, particularly the gradual polarisation and agitations that were making national unity and tolerance hard to achieve. His death is, indeed, a huge loss to the Armed Forces, Benue State and the country.