‘Chief Of Army Staff, Lagbaja Is Critically Ill’ – Source

The Nigerian Army, on Sunday, described the reports making rounds online that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja is dead as fake.

Naija News understands that the report had claimed that Lagbaja had died of cancer 48 hours ago.

The post read, “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48 hours ago from 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.

“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.”

However, sources at the Army Headquarters, who spoke with Punch confirmed that the army chief is critically ill.

One of the sources said, “COAS is not dead. He is only critically ill at the moment. We should be praying for him at this critical time and not spreading rumours that he died.”

Another source said he was out of the country to treat himself.

The source said, “He is out of the country for treatment. And I have not heard of his death from anyone around him. There is no way such information could be hidden.”