Chief Of Defence Staff, Musa Speaks On COAS Lagbaja’s Death

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has expressed profound sorrow over the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who passed away on Tuesday after a brief illness at the age of 56.

In a statement released by the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, Musa described the late Army chief as a courageous and dedicated officer who served Nigeria with unyielding commitment and loyalty.

The CDS conveyed his deepest condolences to President Bola Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as well as to Lagbaja’s family and all Nigerians grieving the loss.

Gen. Musa praised Lagbaja’s dedication, noting that his service to Nigeria left an indelible impact on the Armed Forces and the nation at large.

He said, “Therefore, his passing is a tremendous loss, not only to his family, the Army and the AFN but also to the entire nation and humanity.

“Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja’s legacy of exceptional service and loyalty leaves an indelible mark on the Nigerian Army, the AFN and the national defence security landscape.”

The CDS said that Lagbaja demonstrated exemplary leadership, spearheading the establishment of the Nigerian Army Aviation Wing and playing instrumental roles in multiple security operations across the country.

He said that late COAS made tremendous contributions to operations such as Forest Sanity in Kaduna and Niger States, as well as Lafiya Dole, Zaman Lafiya and Hadin Kai in Borno.

Other operations, according to him, include Zaki in Benue and UDOKA in the Southeast, amongst others.

“His contributions to these operations reflect his relentless dedication to ensuring a safer and more secure Nigeria,’’ he added.

Musa prayed for Almighty God to grant strength and comfort to his beloved wife, Mrs Maria Lagbaja and his family during this period of immense grief.

According to him, the military and the nation will deeply feel the void left by Gen. Lagbaja’s invaluable service, especially in these critical times of addressing national security challenges.

He said that Lagbaja’s 16-month tenure as army chief demonstrated his sterling performance, courage and steadfast commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty.

“His enduring dedication and achievements will forever be remembered in the annals of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the nation at large,’’ he added.