…Military Pulls Out 15 Retired Generals
Confusion and controversy have emerged following reports on social media that the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died.
Jackson Ude, a former presidential aide, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Lagbaja passed away in an undisclosed hospital overseas after battling stage three cancer.
Ude claimed the military deliberately withheld the information due to intense lobbying among top generals seeking to replace him.
His post on Sunday reads: “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48 hrs ago from a stage three cancer, according to a senior government official. The death of the Chief of Army staff has been kept secret because of intense lobbying by some Generals who want to take the position.”
However, the Nigerian Army has refuted the claim, insisting that the COAS is alive but sick and receiving medical treatment abroad.
In a statement, Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, clarified that Lagbaja’s medical trip also coincides with his annual leave and that the Army Chief ensured that the army’s activities remain uninterrupted in his absence.
“Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalami Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS,” Nwachukwu stated.
“This is not peculiar to the army. There have been instances where unforeseen human frailty kept service chiefs away for about three months, and their chiefs of policy and plans held sway in their absence.”
He emphasised that the military operates with structured processes to manage such situations.
The Nigerian Army has urged the public to disregard rumours, assuring Nigerians that military operations remain on course and the nation’s security is under control.
“The Army Headquarters, therefore, enjoins the general public to remain confident in the Nigerian Army and be assured that the Service remains on top of the security situations in the country and is ever ready to defend Nigeria against any aggression on its land territory,” Nwachukwu said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army held a pulling-out ceremony for 15 retired generals from the Artillery Corps on 19 October in Kaduna. The group of retirees included 11 Major-Generals and 4 Brigadier-Generals.
The event was attended by senior serving and retired officers, including former COAS, Maj.-Gen. Alwali Kazir (rtd).
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