Buratai mourns death of former chief of army staff

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has commiserated with the family of the Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu, a former chief of army staff, who died on Monday.

He said in a statement issued by the army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman that he “received with deep shock the sad news of the passing away” of Malu.

Buratai prayed to God Almighty to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The late Malu was said to have died at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday.

Born on Jan. 15 1947 at Katsina-Ala, Benue of Tiv origin. Malu enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1967.

He was part of the 3rd Regular Course and got commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation in 1970.[3]

Malu held various positions in his military career, including Commander, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peace-keeping force (ECOMOG) from December 1996 to April 1998.

He was Chief of Army Staff between May 1999 and April 2001.

During his service, he contributed immensely to the sustenance of democracy, peace and security in the country.