A prime star dimmed and fell from the military horizon on November 5. And the proverbial owl hooted, singing a dirge about a military brass hat who departed in the afternoon of life.
The whiff of melancholy hanging in the air was so thick you could almost slice it with a knife. The landscape became momentarily sullen. Flags flew at half mast. Major activities of state were muted as the nation mourned the dead.
The bloodshot eyes rendered bleary by days of torrential tears, some muffled, while others coursed down freely, were part of the spectacles at his two-day state burial in Abuja last Thursday and Friday; spectacles that drew home the penetrating grief and sorrow that overtook relations, friends, professional colleagues, the presidency and other senior government officials as well as the nation over an uncommon military chief, who rendered an uncommon service to his fatherland and bowed out at an uncommon time he was needed most!
Oh fleeting, ephemeral life! It was the turn of Taoreed Lagbaja, a Lieutenant-General and until his death the Chief of Army Staff(COAS), who was described by many as one of the finest military brass hats this nation has ever produced,to answer the last knell all mortals dread most.
Lagbaja bade life farewell after spending just 505 days in the saddle as Army chief, days that were punctuated by frequent travels for medical attention. He became the third Army chief who died in office. And by a wicked ironic twist of fate, all the three military brass hats had brief tenures before they died. And quite strangely still, only Lagbaja out of the three Army chiefs died of natural causes. He died after a prolonged battle with an undisclosed illness, although some said it was cancer. But there was no official confirmation. The two who died before him departed through air crashes!
The first was 30-year-old Joseph Akahan, who was appointed Army chief shortly before the civil war broke out in 1967. He reportedly died in August 1967 as the helicopter conveying him back to Makurdi from his hometown in Gboko, Benue State, crashed. He died with two pilots on board.
The other Army chief, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who succeeded Tukur Buratai in January, 2021, died just five months after, precisely May 21, 2021. The plane carrying him from Abuja to Kaduna ran into a severely turbulent weather and crashed, killing him and 10 members of his entourage.
Some drama and a spell of suspense dotted his tenure shortly before his death, especially when his prolonged absence became visible. For example, on October 20, a social media post alleged that Lt. Gen. Lagbaja, died of cancer while undergoing treatment abroad. The military swiftly dismissed the rumour. The Defence Headquarters spokesperson, Tukur Gusau, clarified that the Army chief was on a “well-deserved rest” as part of his annual leave and would soon resume regular duties.
However, public speculations became heightened when, on October 30, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the appointment of Major Gen. Olufemi Oluyede as an acting COAS, pending Lagbaja’s return. Oluyede was promoted to Lieutenant-General shortly after, indicating that he would step in, in substantive capacity. This deepened the suspense over Lagbaja’s fate and his prolonged absence.
While Onanuga’s earlier statement suggested that Lagbaja’s absence could be prolonged, he announced the army chief’s passing on Wednesday November 6, noting that Lagbaja died on “Tuesday night(November 5)after a period of illness,” adding that “President [Bola] Tinubu expresses his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces during this difficult time.”
Emotions took the center stage as he was laid to rest at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja last Friday. The ceremony brought together family, colleagues, and dignitaries to bid a final farewell to the late army chief. The grief-stricken family members and colleagues were quite a sight, patently overcome by emotions. Even the nose mask, which Lagbaja’s widow, Mariya, donned, could not conceal the steady stream of tears that dropped from her eyes.
In his moving tribute, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, Lagbaja’s direct boss, assured Nigerians that the Army chief’s death would inspire the military to defeat the nation’s enemies wherever they may be.
Musa said that the military took solace in the fact that Lagbaja lived a purposeful life. He, therefore, admonished the troops to honour his memory by committing themselves to the ideals he stood for.
Musa said: “We will not leave you alone. We know your loss is immeasurable, but please take solace in knowing that he lived a life of purpose and left behind a legacy that will never fade. To my fellow officers and men, let us use this moment to recommit ourselves to the ideas, which General Labaja stood for.
“Let us ensure that his sacrifice and service continue to guide our steps as we defend this great nation. We are going to use his passing away to resolve further to defeat all enemies of the state, wherever they are, whether within or outside. As we lower him today into the embrace of the earth, let us raise our voices in prayer and gratitude for a life well lived.“
Reflecting on Lagbaja’s tenure, Musa disclosed that the Army brass hat took bold and decisive actions against terrorists, bandits, and other threats.
He said: “His tenure was marked by decisive actions against insurgency, banditry, and other threats to our nation’s peace. His efforts significantly enhanced the operational readiness and the morale of the Nigerian Army. But beyond his professional achievement, General Labaja was a man of profound faith, kindness, and humility”.
Lagbaja’s widow, Mariya, in an emotion-laced tribute to her late husband, which was included in the burial programme booklet, pledged her eternal love to him(late husband). She reminisced on the moments she shared with her husband of nearly 17 years, describing their relationship as one built on friendship, love, and unwavering support.
President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous national honour, Commander of the Federal Republic(CFR), on Lagbaja at the burial, which, he explained, was to appreciate his service to the nation. The President described Lagbaja as one of his best appointees.
He said: “Lagabaja was a true soldier, a general and officer who symbolised the best of his profession and whose commitment to the nation he loved was singular and undiluted.
“He was more than I could have hoped for. He was one of my best appointments. Lt. Gen. Lagbaja embodied the finest ideas of a patriot and a soldier. He had an abiding faith in the capability and readiness of our armed forces to save and keep us”.
Born on February 28, 1968, in Osun State, Lagbaja began his military journey in 1987 at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps on September 19, 1992.
His tenure as Army chief was very brief, as noted earlier, but the imprint he embossed on the sand of time is large and prodigious. President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023. A career soldier known for his ‘no-nonsense approach’, he led the Nigerian Army with a vision “to transform it into a well-trained, equipped, and highly motivated force,” crucial to tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.
Before becoming army chief, he had worked in different leadership capacities, including playing pivotal roles in numerous internal security operations such as Operation ZAKI in Benue State, Lafiya Dole in Borno, and Operation Forest Sanity across Kaduna and Niger States.
Lagbaja assumed command amid a matrix of security threats, including ISWAP and Boko Haram insurgencies, IPOB activities, banditry, oil theft, and persistent herder-farmer clashes. Large swathes of the country, especially in the northwest, northeast and middle belt were under severe threats as the daredevils were taking territories, terrorizing the hapless communities. Under his leadership, the army made notable advances in combating these issues, successfully mounting offensives against insurgents and criminal elements.
In February, Nigerian Army troops neutralised Boderi Isyaku, a notorious bandit, along with his fighters in Kaduna. By June, the army’s Operation Whirl Punch eliminated Buhari Alhaji Halidu, alias Buhari Yadi, a key bandit leader who had terrorised communities across northwestern Nigeria. Other high-profile figures—including Dogo Rabe, Kachalla Dan Chaki, Dogo Gudali, and Rufai Maikaji—were also neutralised, demonstrating the army’s focused efforts in the region. In the past year, these operations continued to dismantle terrorist strongholds across the Northwest, resulting in the deaths of notorious leaders such as Halilu Sububu, a criminal responsible for hundreds of deaths and the displacement of thousands in communities like Maradun, Faru, Kaura Namoda, and Bakura.
One of his most effective strategies for motivating the troops was said to be his decision to constantly spend time with them on the war front. He would chat with them, go through drillings with them amid pep talks to boost their morale. Lagbaja’s tenure left a lasting impact, with his strategic leadership earning the Nigerian Army recognition for its resilience and ongoing commitment to restoring peace.
The late Army chief was dedicated to the welfare of his men and had encouraged them to do better in several outings. The army under Lagbaja’s leadership also provided critical humanitarian support. In September, when devastating floods swept Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital, the military’s swift response was widely praised on social media under the hashtag #ThankASoldier.
According to an online publication, which monitored the Nigerian Army’s social media pages, Lagbaja’s last public appearance was on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, when he inaugurated several civil-military cooperation projects in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun state.
Since then, senior military officers stood in for him at crucial events. On September 28, he missed the combined passing-out parade of the 71 Regular Course, Army, Navy, and Air Force. The event was done to mark the graduation of Direct Short Service Course 28 (Army) and Direct Short Service Course 32 (Air Force) cadets from the NDA.
Questions around Lagbaja’s absence grew when he missed the October 1 Independence Day celebrations at Aso Villa and the graduation dinner of the Army War College Nigeria Course 8/2024 in Abuja on October 2, where he was expected to serve as the chief host. Silence from the military only ended on October 19 when army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, revealed that Lagbaja was ill and receiving treatment abroad. There was no official update on his return until the announcement of his death on Wednesday November 6. He was 56.
