The Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, on Thursday, paid a condolence visit to Mrs. Mariya Lagbaja and other family members of the late Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Nigeria’s 23rd Chief of Army Staff, who passed away after a brief illness.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu.
According to the statement, General Oluyede, accompanied by Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders, and General Officers Commanding of the Nigerian Army, visited the Flag Staff House at Niger Barracks, Abuja, during the condolence visit.
The statement further said, “Paying tribute to the late COAS, General Oluyede extolled his gallantry, dedication, and the lasting legacies he left throughout his service in the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces of Nigeria as a whole.”
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It explained that in a message written in the condolence register opened in honor of the late COAS, the Acting COAS stated: “It is with a huge sense of loss, albeit with a sense of responsibility, that I, on behalf of the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, commiserate with Mrs. Mariya Lagbaja, the children, and the entire Lagbaja clan over the passing of our dogged, gallant, and extremely dedicated leader.”
“Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja (Nigerian Army Medal), the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, without a doubt, gave his all to the service of our dear nation. This was evident in his dedication to duty and the legacies he left behind.”
“We take solace in the fact that we cannot question the Almighty. We surely owe him a great deal. Rest in peace, our leader and hero. You will surely be missed.”
The statement also recalled that the late Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was appointed Chief of Army Staff by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 19 June 2023 and fully assumed command of the Nigerian Army as the 23rd COAS on 23 June 2023.
According to the statement, “A seasoned infantry officer, the late General Lagbaja was commissioned in 1992 as a member of the 39 Regular Combatant Course at the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. He distinguished himself as a Special Forces Commander and an exemplary military leader who held several key appointments throughout his distinguished career. The late General Lagbaja served as General Officer Commanding the 82nd and 1st Divisions of the Nigerian Army in Enugu and Kaduna, respectively.”
“He also commanded the 9 Brigade in Ikeja and the 2 Brigade in Uyo, as well as the 72 Special Forces Battalion on two separate tours of duty.”
“Prior to assuming command of the Nigerian Army as the 23rd Chief of Army Staff, he served as the Chief of Operations (Army), where he coordinated all operational activities of the Nigerian Army. As the Chief of Army Staff, he worked tirelessly to combat terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges faced across the nation.”
