The body of the Late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, today Thursday landed in Abuja from Lagos.
Lagbaja died in Lagos, on 5th November, at the age of 56, and will be buried in the nation’s capital Abuja on Friday.
Upon arrival at the Abuja airport, a guard of honor was accorded the body of the late COAS.
From Lagos where the General’s last journey began earlier today, a dark cloud of sorrow enveloped the Air Force Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.
To the airport, the remains of the Chief of Army Staff were brought from the mortuary at approximately 9:25 a.m. for transport to Abuja.
Married to Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja, he had three children.
This followed speculation after he had not made a public appearance since September.
A week before his death, he was replaced in an acting capacity by Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede.
Present to bid the late Lagbaja farewell were the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, white cap chiefs from the Oba of Lagos palace, and senior officers from the Armed Forces, police, and paramilitary.
Also present at the airport to pay their last respect were members of the Naval Officers Wives Association, NOWA, and retired military generals.
The national anthem, sung by the Army band, echoed through the air as the pallbearers, otherwise called escort officers, who were high-ranking military officers from the Army and Navy, took position by the casket that was draped with the Nigerian national flag for the procession march.
Thereafter, the military funeral procession began in a slow March, with the military band playing sombre music.
The Deputy Governor and senior officers from different security agencies present followed closely behind the escort officers until the casket reached the NAF 198 C130 aircraft stairs, from where the casket was carried by an honours’ guard, composed of soldiers, into the aircraft that transported the remains of the late General to Abuja.
As the NAF 198 aircraft took off, a salute from over 140 men on parade was echoed as a fitting tribute to their former boss.
Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja (28 February 1968 – 5 November 2024) served as the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria from June 2023 to November 2024.
He was appointed on 19 June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu to succeed Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya.
Born in the town of Ilobu in Irepodun, present day Osun State on 28th February 1968, Lagbaja spent his early life in Osogbo where he attended the St Charles Grammar School and Local Authority Teachers College.
Lagbaja was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987 as a member of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 19 September 1992 into the Nigerian Infantry Corps.
Between 1992 and 1995, Lagbaja was platoon commander of the 93 Battalion. From 1995 to 2001, he was platoon commander of 72 Special Forces Battalion.
In 2001, Lagbaja obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He studied Strategic Studies at the US Army War College at the Master’s level.
He was an instructor at the Nigerian Defence Academy from 2001 to 2004.
At a time, Lagbaja was a Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of peacekeeping at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations. Then he was a Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji from 2006 to 2009.
In 2009, he became Deputy Chief of Staff G1 at Headquarters 81 Division and subsequently, he became Commanding Officer at 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi from 2012 to 2013 and 2014 to 2015.
In 2016, he was named the Chief of Staff at Headquarters 8 Task Force Division, Monguno.
He served as Director of Operations at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations from January to December 2018.
He was a Commander of Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State and Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Prior to being Army Chief, Lagbaja was General Officer Commanding Headquarters 82 Division from March 2021 to August 2022 and Headquarters 1 Division from August 2022 to June 2023.
Earlier in 2008, he attended the Military Observers Course on Peacekeeping Wing at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2008) and ECOWAS Standby Force Battalion Command Post Course – Peacekeeping Centre, Bamako, Mali – (June – August 2010).
He started his career as a second lieutenant and he was a lieutenant general, a rank he was promoted to in July 2023.
