The Nigerian Army has refuted rumors surrounding the alleged death of its Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Taoreed Lagbaja.
The rumors, which went viral after a tweet by Jackson Ude, a former presidential aide and social media commentator, falsely claimed that Lagbaja had died of cancer in an undisclosed overseas hospital.
Ude’s tweet read: “CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF DIES OF CANCER. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died… The death of the Chief of Army Staff has been kept secret because of intense lobbying by some Generals who want to take the position.”
However, the Nigerian Army quickly stamped the tweet as FAKE NEWS. Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, responded on Saturday, dismissing the reports and clarifying that Lagbaja is alive and well. Nwachukwu stated that the General is currently on official leave, and necessary protocols have been set in place for his duties to be managed during his absence.
“There have even been insinuations that there is a leadership vacuum, with officers confused about what to do. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Nwachukwu said, emphasizing the Army’s structured hierarchy. He explained that before General Lagbaja went on leave, Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, the Chief of Policy and Plans, was appointed to act on his behalf, ensuring no disruption in the Army’s operations.
Nwachukwu added, “The Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances. All routine and scheduled activities of the service are on course, and appropriate departmental chiefs are fully carrying out their responsibilities in line with the COAS directives.”
The Army reiterated that any claims of a leadership vacuum were mere speculation, assuring the public that operations remain on track under the capable leadership of Major General Ibrahim.
