The Nigerian Army has firmly denied circulating rumors that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has passed away. The rumors began after a social media post by a Nigerian journalist claimed that Lagbaja had died of cancer 48 hours earlier in an undisclosed hospital abroad.
The journalist’s post, which quickly gained attention, stated, “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja passed away in an undisclosed hospital nearly 48 hours ago from stage three cancer, according to a senior government official. His death has been kept secret due to intense lobbying by some generals who wish to take his position.” The post also provided a brief background of Lagbaja, noting that he was born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, and was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the 27th Chief of Army Staff in June 2023.
Responding to the claim on X (formerly Twitter), the Nigerian Army debunked the report, labeling it as fake news. Sources from Army Headquarters confirmed that although Lt. Gen. Lagbaja is currently unwell, he is very much alive.
One source stated, “The COAS is not dead. He is critically ill at the moment. We should be praying for him at this critical time and not spreading unfounded rumors of his death.” Another source confirmed that the Army Chief had traveled abroad for medical treatment, explaining that there was no truth to the death rumors. “He is out of the country for treatment. There is no way such information could be hidden,” the source said.
Attempts to reach the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, for further comment were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off, and he had not responded to messages regarding the situation.
As of now, the Army has urged the public to disregard the false reports and focus on supporting the recovery of the Chief of Army Staff.
