The Nigerian Army denied on Sunday that its Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, had died.
Several reports based on a social media post by a Nigerian journalist announcing the Army chief’s death went viral on Sunday.
The journalist claimed that Lagbaja had died of cancer 48 hours earlier.
The post stated, “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has died.” According to a senior government official, Lagbaja died of stage three cancer in an undisclosed overseas hospital nearly 48 hours ago.
“The death of the Chief of Army Staff has been kept a secret due to intense lobbying by some Generals who want to fill the position.
“Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 as the 27th Chief of Army Staff.”
The Nigerian Army marked the post on X as fake news.
However, sources at Army Headquarters confirmed that the army chief was in critical condition.
One of the sources said, “COAS is not dead. He is currently critically ill. We should be praying for him during this critical time, not spreading rumors that he died.”
Another source stated that he was out of the country to treat himself.
“He is out of the country for treatment. I have not heard anything about his death from anyone around him. There is no way such information could be concealed,” the source stated.
Maj Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, was unable to be reached via phone.
He had yet to respond to a message sent to him regarding the matter.
The development came as no fewer than 15 Generals of the Nigerian Army bowed out of service.
The retired Generals are from the Artillery Corps of the Service.
According to reports, the Artillery Corps provides heavy firepower support to allied forces positioned on the front lines of the battlefield.
The Nigerian Army announced on X that the retired officers include 11 Major Generals and four Brigadier Generals.
According to the post, the retired generals were discharged at a ceremony held at the Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kaduna State.
It stated, “The Nigerian Army formally removed 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. There were 11 Major Generals and four Brigadier Generals among those who retired.
Maj Gen James Myam (retd) spoke on behalf of the retired officers during the pull-out parade, expressing satisfaction and gratitude for their long military careers.
“He attributed their success to divine grace, recognizing God’s protection during their years of service. He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, and wished the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, continued strength and wisdom in his leadership of the NA.
Maj Gen Myam reflected on how they began their military careers as Officer Cadets at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna.
“He advised the officers who were still serving, urging them to remain loyal to the constitution and the democratically elected government while remaining vigilant and security conscious.
“The retired general also thanked the families, spouses, friends, instructors, and mentors who helped them throughout their careers.
“Several senior retired and serving military officers attended the event, including former Chief of Army Staff Maj Gen Alwali Kazir (retd),” the statement continued.