Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, has died at the age of 56, following an illness. His passing was confirmed in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Wednesday.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed his condolences to Lagbaja’s family and the Nigerian Armed Forces, commending his significant contributions to the nation’s security. Appointed Chief of Army Staff in June 2023, Lagbaja was known for his dedication and leadership, having served in key internal security operations like Operation ZAKI in Benue State, Lafiya Dole in Borno, Udoka in the Southeast, and Forest Sanity in Kaduna and Niger States.

Lagbaja, an alumnus of the U.S. Army War College, is survived by his wife, Mariya, and their two children. Last week, Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff, citing Lagbaja’s illness. On Tuesday, Oluyede was officially decorated as Lieutenant General, with President Tinubu honoring his service to Nigeria’s military.