The Nigeria Chief of Army Staff Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja is dead.
This is according to former presidential spokesman, Mr Jackson Ude in a post on his official X handle.
Ude quoting a senior government official said that Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48 hours ago from a stage three cancer.
The death of the Chief of Army staff has been reportedly kept secret because of intense lobbying by some Generals who want to take the position.
He said, “CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF DIES OF CANCER
“The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48hrs 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.
“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.”
Though, Diaspora Digital Media is yet to verify this claim.
Meanwhile, military authorities on Saturday refuted media reports suggesting that there is leadership vacuum following the absence of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
The spokesman of the army, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, said Lagbaja is on official leave, and necessary protocols have been put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS during his absence.
Nwachukwu stressed that Lagbaja’s absence is not affecting the operations of the service.
|SituationReport|
