Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, has passed away. On Tuesday evening, he passed away at the age of 56.

The Chief of Army Staff passed away on Wednesday, according to a statement posted on X Platform, formerly Twitter, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, (Information and Strategy).

He said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, regrets to announce the death of Chief of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who was 56 years old.

After a period of illness, he died Tuesday night in Lagos.

Lt. Gen. Lagbaja was born on February 28, 1968, and President Tinubu named him Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023.

He enlisted in the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987, marking the beginning of his illustrious military career. He joined the 39th Regular Course and received his appointment as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps on September 19, 1992.

As a platoon commander in the 72 Special Forces Battalion and the 93 Battalion, Lt. Gen. Lagbaja showed remarkable dedication and leadership during his tenure.

He was instrumental in many internal security operations, such as Operation Forest Sanity in Kaduna and Niger States, Lafiya Dole in Borno, Udoka in Southeast Nigeria, and Operation ZAKI in Benue State.

He graduated with a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the esteemed U.S. Army War College, proving his commitment to career advancement and superior military leadership.