Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja

The Tinubu-led Presidency on Sunday, October 21, dismissed reports claiming that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja is dead.

Online reports had claimed that Lagbaja passed away in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48 hours ago due to stage three cancer.

However, the Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga via his X Platform dismissed the alleged death of Lagbaja.

He said, “Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu has dismissed fake reports about the chief of army staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja.

“To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances. Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS while he is away.”

Appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, Lagbaja is the 27th Chief of Army Staff, taking over from Faruk Yahaya on June 23, 2023.

The Chief of Army Staff plays a crucial role within the Nigerian military hierarchy, reporting to the Chief of Defence Staff, who, in turn, is accountable to the Defence Minister and the President of Nigeria.