Updated: Army says reports of COAS Lagbaja’s death fake news

Updated: Army says reports of COAS Lagbaja’s death fake news

The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports making the rounds that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died.

Many online reports, originating from a social media post by one Jackson Ude announcing the death of the Army chief, has gone viral.

The post read, “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48hrs ago from a stage three Cancer, according to a senior Government official.

“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.”

But reacting to the post on its verified X handle on Sunday, the Nigerian Army described the viral report as fake news.

It was however learnt at the Army Headquarters that the Army Chief was critically ill and he was being attended to.

Earlier, the official report said the Army Chief was on leave and out of the country for treatment.

READ ALSO:

• Arrest of EndSARS memorial protesters unacceptable – Amnesty Int’l
• Notorious phone thief arrested in Niger State
• No law provides for special treatment for any inmate – Lawyers

A statement by the Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, late Saturday night, said the COAS was on official leave.

He dismissed insinuations that the absence could affect the running of the institution, describing the Army as a structured organisation with protocols.

Nwachukwu said, “To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances.

“Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS, while he is away.

“This is not peculiar to the NA as there have been instances where unforeseen human frailty kept service chiefs away for about three months, and their Chiefs of Policy and Plans held sway in their absence.

“Claims of leadership vacuum in the NA presently is therefore a mere speculation, as all routine and scheduled activities of the Service are on course.”

He added that the Service, in line with its Forecast of Events for 2024, recently conducted the Captain-Major Practical Promotion Examination in Akure, Ondo State.

“Contrary to the insinuation that the absence of the COAS occasioned by his leave, has caused undue delay in the release of the result of the WO-MWO promotion exercise, the NA wishes to clarify that it has never been the practice for the COAS to sign postings or promotions for both officers and soldiers in the NA.

“The appropriate departmental chiefs perform these functions routinely,” he said.

Updated: Army says reports of COAS Lagbaja’s death fake news