The Nigerian Army has debunked rumors circulating about the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, calling the reports fake.
The clarification came after Jackson Ude, publisher of Point Blank News, posted the news on social media, sparking widespread speculation.
Ude in a post on his verified social media handle X, Sunday 20th October, 2024 had alleged that Lt. Gen. Lagbaja had passed away in a foreign hospital after battling stage three cancer.
In response, the Nigerian Army took to its verified social media platforms, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, to quickly dismiss these claims, describing the post as “fake news”.
Lt. Gen. Lagbaja, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, remains active in his duties, according to the Army.
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Recall also, that recently there had been speculation about Lagbaja’s health following a report by Saharareporters, which alleged that the Chief of Army Staff had been incapacitated.
The report also suggested that top generals were already lobbying for his position, fueling further rumors about his condition.
However, Army’s spokesperson, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, dismissed the rumor claiming that Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), is currently on leave.
According to the army spokesman, Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, the Army’s Chief of Policy and Plans, has been appointed to serve as acting COAS, in the absence of Lagbaja, adding that the absence of the COAS will not disrupt the Army’s ongoing operations.
