The Nigerian Army refuted circulating media reports on Sunday that claimed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, had passed away.
These rumors gained traction after a social media post by a Nigerian journalist, which quickly went viral. The journalist alleged that Lagbaja had died from cancer 48 hours prior, stating in the post:
“The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has passed away. He died in an undisclosed hospital abroad nearly 48 hours ago from stage three cancer, according to a senior government official.”
The post further claimed that “the death of the Chief of Army Staff has been kept secret due to intense lobbying by some Generals vying for the position.” It went on to provide details about Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, stating that he was born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, and was appointed as the 27th Chief of Army Staff by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023.
In response to the post on X (formerly Twitter), the Nigerian Army dismissed the report as fake news.
However, sources within Army Headquarters confirmed to our correspondent that the Chief of Army Staff is critically ill. One of the sources stated, “COAS is not dead. He is critically ill at the moment. At this time, we should be offering prayers for him instead of spreading rumors about his death.”
Another source confirmed that Lagbaja had left the country for medical treatment. “He is abroad for treatment, and I haven’t heard any news of his death from anyone close to him. Such information couldn’t possibly be concealed,” the source added.
Efforts to reach the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off and he had not yet responded to a message regarding the situation.
The development came as no fewer than 15 Generals of the Nigerian Army bowed out of service.
The retired Generals in question are from the Nigerian Army’s Artillery Corps, which provides heavy firepower support to allied forces on the front lines, according to a report by The PUNCH.
In a post on X , the Nigerian Army revealed that 15 retired Generals were ceremonially pulled out of service. This group consisted of 11 Major Generals and 4 Brigadier Generals, with the ceremony taking place at the Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kachia, Kaduna State, on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
The post read: “The Nigerian Army formally pulled out 15 retired Generals from the Artillery Corps on Saturday, October 19, 2024, during a ceremony at the Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kachia, Kaduna State. The group of retirees included 11 Major Generals and 4 Brigadier Generals.”
During the pulling-out parade, Maj Gen James Myam (retd) spoke on behalf of the retired officers, reflecting on their long military careers and expressing a sense of fulfilment and gratitude for their service.
“He attributed their success to divine grace, acknowledging God’s protection throughout their years of service. He also extended his appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, wishing him continued strength and wisdom in his leadership of the NA.
Maj Gen James Myam (retd) reflected on the start of their military journeys, recalling how they first reported to the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna as Officer Cadets. He took the opportunity to offer advice to those still in service, urging them to remain loyal to the constitution and to the democratically elected government. He also emphasized the importance of vigilance and maintaining a high level of security consciousness.
The retired general expressed his gratitude to the families, spouses, friends, instructors, and mentors who had supported them throughout their careers.
The event was graced by senior military officers, both retired and serving, including former Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Alwali Kazir (retd), according to the statement.
