 He chaired the tribunal that tried General Oladipo Diya and other officers for attempting to overthrow the Sani Abacha regime in 1997.Malu was commander of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peace-keeping force ECOMOG from December 1996 to April 1998 during the First Liberian Civil War.Malu impressed both Liberians and international observers with the improvements that followed his taking command.