Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, has passed away at 56. The President’s office confirmed Lagbaja’s death on Wednesday, stating he died in Lagos on Tuesday night following an illness.
Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, was appointed Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023, by President Bola Tinubu. Last month, a report of his demise spread on social media, but the Nigerian Army dismissed it, confirming he was ill and receiving medical treatment abroad.
On October 30, Tinubu appointed Major General Olufemi Oluyede as acting Chief of Army Staff, and on November 5, Oluyede was decorated as lieutenant-general.
A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the U.S. Army War College, Lagbaja had a distinguished career marked by strategic leadership roles.
“President Tinubu expresses his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces during this difficult time,” stated Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, noting Tinubu’s deep respect for Lagbaja’s contributions to the nation.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
