The body of Nigeria’s 23th Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja will be interred today November 15, 2024 at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.
The burial, which will take place after funeral services which will hold between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, will be preceded by a Military Parade.
General Lagbaja’s body had earlier arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 12:18 p.m. on Thursday, from Lagos.
As part of the funeral programme, a Service of Songs was held at the parade ground of the Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja which was attended by heads of defence and security agencies.
Speaking during the Service of Songs, the Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, Major General Kelvin Aligbe, praised the late COAS, saying he was an extraordinary military leader.
General Aligbe, who spoke on behalf of members of 39 Regular Course of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), said from the beginning, Lagbaja stood out as a born leader, urging the military community to embody the values of service and dedication that Lagbaja held dear.
According to General Aligbe: “The only way I and my course mates and the other members of the armed forces, officers and soldiers that he left behind can honour his memory truly, is to continue what he believed in. He believed in the indivisibility of Nigeria. He believed in service. He gave everything at the risk of sounding immodest. I don’t know if we gave him enough.”
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Bilikisu Ibrahim described Lagbaja as a man of faith whose spirit was rooted in devotion and conviction.
Said Mrs Ibrahim: “To those he served, he was a pillar of protection, an unwavering beacon amidst storms of insanity and threats.
“But beyond our soldiers was a man of faith, a spirit rooted in devotion and conviction. In the trials of duty, he held fast to his spirituality, finding in prayers the fortitude that guided him through the darkest battles.”
On Wednesday November 6, 2024, The Presidency formally announced the passing General Lagbaja at the age of 56, saying that he passed away on the night of Tuesday November 5, 2024 in Lagos after a period of illness.
Spending 505 days in office, Lagbaja was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 19, 2023 alongside the Chief of Defence Staff and other Service Chiefs.
Initially, late Lagbaja’s absence was kept under wraps until the media was “awash with stories, rumours, and innuendoes,” forcing the Nigerian Army to admit on October 19, 2024 that the former COAS was “on leave and medical checkup abroad.”
Lagbaja was born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, Nigeria. His early years were spent in Osogbo. Lagbaja attended St. Charles Grammar School and the Local Authority Teachers College and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the Nigerian Defence Academy, while also bagging a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
In 1987, he was admitted to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as part of the 39th Regular Course and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on September 19, 1992.
In the course of his military career, Lagbaja was in charge of various positions which included Platoon Commander, Instructor at the NDA, and Commanding Officer of several battalions. In 2009, after rising through the ranks, he became a Lieutenant-General. In 2009, Lagbaja was named Deputy Chief of Staff at Headquarters 81 Division. His service also included a stint as Commanding Officer of the 72 Special Forces Battalion in Makurdi from 2012 to 2013 and again from 2014 to 2015.
He participated in numerous military operations, including the ECOMOG mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and various internal security operations across Nigeria. In the course of his ebullient military career, Lagbaja was a recipient of several awards for his meritorious service to the nation which reflected his dedication, industry and contributions to the Nigerian Army.
At his passing, Lagbaja left behind his wife, Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja, and two children.