 General Taoreed Lagbaja's death.){kind=link}
The retirement of Army Generals in the Nigerian army has further given credence to the rumour of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Taoreed Lagbaja’s death.
This is despite the Nigerian Army strongly denying claims circulating about the death of the Chief of the army general.
AFRIPOST reports that the rumours, sparked by a tweet from Jackson Ude, alleged that Lagbaja had passed away due to cancer. Ude claimed that the general had died two days prior and that colleagues had begun lobbying for his position even while he was fighting for his life.
On Saturday, the Nigerian Army refuted these reports, branding them as “fake news.” In an official statement, the Army clarified that General Lagbaja is alive, explaining that he is currently on his annual leave and undergoing a brief medical check-up abroad. The Army added that before departing, Lagbaja assigned Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim to act on his behalf.
The rumours gained traction after Sahara Reporters published a report on October 15th, suggesting that the COAS had been gravely ill and had been flown abroad for medical treatment.
The report claimed that Lagbaja had not appeared at the Army headquarters for three weeks and that pending promotions within the military were on hold due to his absence. On October 18th, Sahara Reporters followed up with another report, alleging that Lagbaja’s condition had worsened and that lobbying for his position had intensified.
However, the Nigerian Army remains firm in its stance, insisting that General Lagbaja is in good health. In response to the rumours, Jackson Ude has challenged the Army to release a short video as proof of the general’s well-being. As of now, the Army has not responded to the challenge but has reportedly ordered Ude’s arrest and launched an investigation to determine the source of the false information.
Further fueling the speculation, the retirement of 15 senior generals on October 20th has led some conspiracy theorists to suggest that the move was strategically timed to clear the path for President Bola Tinubu’s preferred candidate to assume the position of COAS.
While confusion reigns among the public, some Nigerians have expressed scepticism about the Army’s denial, pointing to past incidents where premature news was later confirmed. Others, particularly those supportive of General Lagbaja, have condemned the rumours, accusing Jackson Ude and others of undermining the nation’s security progress under Lagbaja’s leadership.