The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja

  • Course mates eulogise Lagbaja at service of songs

    Course mates eulogise Lagbaja at service of songs

    • Lagos deputy governors, military chiefs, others bid ex-COAS farewell in Lagos

    Some of the former course mates of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday paid glowing tributes to him.

    They spoke at a service of songs held for the ex-COAS at the Nigerian Army Headquarters Garrison Parade Ground in Abuja. The late COAS will be buried today at the Magadishu Cantonment in Abuja after a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in the nation’s capital.

    During the service of songs yesterday, the Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, Maj.-Gen. Kelvin Aligbe, described the late Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja as an “extraordinary military leader”.

    He said this great attribute made the late COAS the only officer to command a battalion of the Nigerian Army twice during his lifetime.

    Gen. Aligbe spoke on behalf of the 39 Regular Course mates.

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    Reflecting on their shared journey, the Army commander recalled their commissioning as part of the 39 Regular Course on September 12, 1987, where 199 officer cadets began their training to join the Armed Forces.

    According to him, Lagbaja stood out as a born leader among the officer cadets.

    He said: “On September 12, 1987, I, then an officer cadet, Taoreed Lagbaja, and 199 of us assembled for training as members of the 39 Regular Course. We trained and were commissioned together into the Armed Forces. Right from time, he led with no doubt. He was first and foremost an operational commander.

    “Little wonder that while commands in the services are sometimes difficult to come by, he had the privilege of being the only person, if my memory serves me right, to have commanded a battalion at two different times. He commanded brigades at two different times. He was a general commanding at two different times.”

    Gen. Aligbe urged the military community to embody the values of service and dedication that Lagbaja held dear.

    He said: “He was primed for the operation that he led, through which, even though they say soldiers don’t die, his memories fade away. The only way my course mates and I and the other members of the Armed Forces, officers and soldiers that he left behind can honour his memory truly is to continue what he believed in. He believed in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

    “He (the late Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja) believed in service. He gave everything at the risk of sounding immodest. I don’t know if we gave him enough.”

    Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association, Bilikisu Ibrahim described Lagabaja as a “man of faith whose spirit was rooted in devotion and conviction”.

    She added: “To those he served, he was a pillar of protection, an unwavering beacon amidst storms of insanity and threats.

    “But beyond our soldier was a man of faith, a spirit rooted in devotion and conviction. In the trials of duty, he held fast to his spirituality, finding in prayers the fortitude that guided him through the darkest battles. His beliefs were his anchor, a quiet force that strengthened him as he led a sacrifice for the nation he loved.

    “His life was not only a mission of arms but of the heart. A journey where faith met duty and courage met compassion. As we gather hands held in solace and grief, we recall the gentleness in his smile, the depth of his wisdom, the vision that he led armies and inspired peace.”

    The Global President of St. Charles Old Boys’ Association, Tade Adekunle, who read a poem written by a Senior Secondary School pupil of the school, described Lagabaja as an “immortal hero”.

    He said: “The immortal hero, a militant heart, now still and cold. The nation mourns, both young and old. A warrior’s soul, a poet’s might. On the field of faith, you shone so bright.

    “With every piece of bread, you shield our motherland. Leading brave men with a steadfast hand, both now empty. Blade of honour now laid down.

    “It’s cannon’s cry extinguished, yet legend remains. A warrior’s pulse now stilled in time. On the altar of freedom, you laid your life, your sacrifice, our beacon of hope.”

    Also, Lagos State deputy governor, Dr. Obafemi Hazmat, yesterday joined military and security top brass in Lagos to pay their last tributes to the late Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja.

    At the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Ikeja, where the deceased General’s casket draped with his service shoes, sword and the Nigerian flag were laid-in-state before his body was flown to Abuja on NAF 918 C-130 aircraft.

    The mood among the people was sombre.

    The officers, all clad in their ceremonial outfits with a black band on their arms, looked forlorn as the parade dished out its solemn dirge.

    Lagbaja, the 23rd COAS, died on November 5 in Lagos after weeks of protracted illness.

    His body was conveyed to the Lagos airport at exactly 9:25 a.m.

    After being lowered at the foot of the aircraft by the pallbearers, the national anthem was sung by the Army Band while his course mates and other high-ranking military officers at the venue lined up by the casket in preparation for the funeral march.

    His body was moved to Abuja following the deluge of condolences recorded in the register and respects paid to him at the 81 Division and the 9 Brigade, where he served as Chief of Staff and Commander, respectively, in the course of his career.

    Also paying their last respects were security personnel from sister services, as well as Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA).

    Also, the Old Students’ Association (CSSLOSA) of Command Secondary School at Ipaja in Lagos yesterday condoled with the Nigerian Army and the family of late COAS.

    A statement by the Alumni President Taiwo Ayedun, and General Secretary Anthonia Eke through the Publicity Secretary Demola Sanyaolu acknowledged tremendous contributions of the late Gen. Lagbaja to the nation and their alma mater. 

    In a letter, dated November 8, 2024, which was addressed to the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede, CSSLOSA described Lagbaja’s death as a significant loss, not only to his family and the Army but to the entire nation. 

    “The leadership and entire membership of the Command Secondary School Lagos Old Students’ Association (CSSLOSA) are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja.

    “He served with honour and distinction, making his absence deeply felt across the country,” the latter said.

    The association lauded General Lagbaja’s enduring support for the School and extended their condolences to his family.

    CSSLOSA prayed Almighty God to grant the deceased eternal rest and wished his family the strength to bear their grief.

  • Lagbaja’s remains arrive Abuja

    Lagbaja’s remains arrive Abuja

    The remains of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, arrived in Abuja on Thursday, Nov. 14, in preparation for his final burial.

    His body arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 12:16 p.m.

    The funeral services will commence on Thursday with a Service of Songs at the Army Headquarters Garrison Parade Ground, Mogadishu Cantonment Abuja.

    The funeral service is slated for Friday at the National Christian Centre, followed by an interment at the military cemetery.

    Read Also: PHOTOS: Late COAS Lagbaja remains arrive Lagos airport

    Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja died on Nov. 5 in Lagos after a brief illness, according to an official statement.

    (NAN)

  • How Lagbaja earned COAS appointment, by DHQ

    How Lagbaja earned COAS appointment, by DHQ

    • Military high command visits ex-Army boss’ hometown, promises to complete his project

    Top officers at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja yesterday paid a condolence visit to the hometown of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.

    The military high command’s delegation, which consisted of seven Generals, was led by Kamar Ishola Yusuf alongside other Army chiefs.

    They visited Osun State Governor Ademola Adeeke and the hometown of late COAS, Ilobu community, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area, where the king, Oba Ashiru Olaniyan, gave them a heavyhearted welcome.

    The delegation also visited the compound of the Lagbaja family where they expressed deep condolence to the bereaved members.

    At the palace of the Olobu, General Yusuf expressed Army Headquarters’ sadness over the death of Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja, saying he was Nigeria’s star that dimmed too early.

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    General Yusuf told Adeleke that he brought a condolence letter from the military leadership and informed the state leadership of the burial plan for the late COAS.

    He said: “Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja led from the front and was courageous. In every division he served, he left indelible achievements. They are there for everyone to see. This led to his appointment as the COAS. He merited the COAS without political influence.”

    The military delegation assured the governor that its leadership would complete all the four community projects the deceased started.

    Governor Adeleke and his deputy, Kola Adewusi, led other state functionaries, including the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Kazeem Akinleye, and other members of the State Executive Council (Exco) to host the military delegation.

    At the Olobu’s palace, Adeleke hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving a state burial for Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja, describing the plan as fitting.

    The governor said: “I thank Mr. President for approving state burial for our late brother. We also appreciate the message from the Army representatives that ongoing community projects initiated by General Lagbaja at Ilobu, Ifon, and Erin Osun would be completed. We will follow up on this.

    “Anytime we spoke, the late General always called for peace among his people. His message, even at the point of death, is that the people of Ilobu and Ifon should live in peace and unity.

    “Let us honour the memory of our late brother and maintain peace. We cannot afford any bloodshed again. It is time to see each other as one and push for common development of our local government and state.”

    Oba Olaniyan and Governor Adeleke pleaded with community leaders to ensure the sustenance of peace as a mark of honour for the late Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja.

  • Bandits, other non-state actors now engage in illegal mining, says COAS

    Bandits, other non-state actors now engage in illegal mining, says COAS

    • ’Army reviewing operational tactics’

    The Nigerian Army says non-state actors in the Northwest now engage in illegal mining.

    It added that their entry into the sector and the fluidity of their previous activities like kidnapping, cattle rustling, and killing were compounding security challenges in the geo-political zone. 

    To keep ahead of the terrorists/ bandits and other non-state actors, the Army vowed to continue a review of its tactics in all parts of the country where its men and officers are working hard to flush them out.  

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, said this at the opening of a three-day Retreat for Past and Present Commanders of Nigerian Army Operations in Northwest yesterday.

    The retreat with the theme, “Reappraising the Nigerian Army’s Approach to Tackling Insecurity in the North West,” was held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) in Abuja.

    Lt-Gen. Lagbaja, represented by the Chief of Operations, Maj.-Gen. Benson Sinjen, said the activities of the non-state actors have continued to impact the security environment across the country, despite unrelenting efforts by the Army and other security agencies.

    He said: “The current security challenges the nation is facing are volatile, complex, and fluid and vary from one zone to another.

    ‘’In the Northwest, the security situation is made complex and persistent by activities of non-state actors who engage in banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, illegal mining, and violent attacks, leading to the destruction of life and means of livelihood.

    “The activities of these non-state actors have continued to impact the security environment in the Northwest and by extension in our country despite efforts to curb the trend by the Nigerian army, sister services, and other government departments and agencies.”

    The COAS   that“surmounting insecurity in the Northwest needs a periodic review of the situation, which will allow us to truly understand the generality and specifics for seamless planning and execution of operations.

    “The threats are always fluid and evolving, thus requiring us to quickly adapt, for us to be at least a step ahead of the adversary.’’

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    Lagbaja said the retreat would provide an opportunity for operational and tactical level commanders to step away from their normal routines in the field and theatres of operations.

    This, he said would also review their past and present performances with a view to reinvigorating future operations.

    He added that the retreat would allow time for introspection, which will not only stimulate new perspectives and creative thinking but also facilitate problem-solving.

    “It will also provide a veritable opportunity for reviewing our efforts at appropriate levels and boosting troops’ morale.

    “The retreat will also give impetus to operational efficiency in the pursuit of the pillars of Nigerian Army Mission Statement and my Command Philosophy,” he said.

    Lagbaja thanked President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the army, pledging to execute his priority of securing the nation within the shortest time possible.

    He commended troops for their perseverance, patriotism, and sacrifice.

    NARC Director-General Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab(rtd), said that any operation that lasts beyond six months was subject to a review or after-action review.

    He noted that the Northwest operation had lasted for years.

    Wahab suggested that past and present commanders of the operations should come together to proffer profound solutions to the issue of operations, administration, logistics, and intelligence collaboration.

    He said that the centre believed that bringing the commanders together would assist in getting new ideas for creating an enabling environment in the Northwest.

    The NARC boss added that the military cannot solve the problems in the zone completely, but should provide an enabling environment for other activities to take place.

  • Unknown gunmen: Troops will respond with force to protect citizens, COAS vows

    Unknown gunmen: Troops will respond with force to protect citizens, COAS vows

    • Lagbaja declares war on non-state actors carrying weapons

    • Commanding officers sharpen skills on new security realities

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has vowed that the Army will respond with force against unknown gunmen carrying military grade weapons.

    Gen. Lagbaja, while speaking at the Headquarters of 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said the response would be swift enough to protect innocent citizens from harm.

    The COAS was at the 6 Division to inaugurate completed projects executed by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, and to close the Chief of Army Staff Second Commanding Officers’ Workshop, which began on Tuesday.

    He was accompanied by the Army Public Relations Officer, Brig.-Gen. Nwachukwu, and other senior officers. He had been touring the formations and units under the 6 Division since Wednesday.

    He said: “The Army will continue to respond to all security threats in accordance with laid down constitutional provisions and the procedures in our book. The soldiers will respond in line with our code of conduct and rules of engagement.

    “For people carrying military grade weapons openly, troops will respond with force to protect law-abiding citizens and our equipment deployed in the population space, as well as their own lives.

    “The attacks on the troops in the past are a one off thing, but the troops will continue to operate within this environment to ensure that peace is sustained.”

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    On his tour of military formations, the COAS said: “Since Wednesday morning, I have been engaged in a tour of formations and units of the Nigerian Army under the 6 Division area of responsibility.

    “I was in Uyo which is the 2nd Brigade area of responsibility. The security situation in this area of responsibility has generally improved, all thanks to the work that our troops are doing and the support of stakeholders, especially the government at the sub national level and other critical stakeholders in our society.”

    The COAS noted that the workshop, titled: ‘Enhancing tactical level command and leadership in a joint environment’, was designed to equip commanding officers with requisite skills and competences and enhance their performance in increasingly complex security environment.

    According to him, it was evident from the deliberations during the workshop and the briefs he received that the objectives of the summit had been achieved.

    He said: “Military administration today is encumbered with new sets of challenges. The impact of social media on your command is enormous and you must avoid the influence of the negative aspect of this new reality on your command.

    “You must be mindful of the character of the generation coming into the Army, and be ingenious in administering the laid down administrative policies and regulations. To do this effectively, I encourage you to keep abreast of technological developments, utilise readily available resources and strengthen information and communication technology training in your units.

    “Deliberate efforts must be made to continuously identify the tasks, threats and standards required to operate effectively in your respective areas or responsibility in order to reach specific measurable levels of performance.

    “As senior training leaders, you must be directly involved in all training activities and take a keen interest in the development of opinion leaders. Training at unit and unit levels requires thorough supervision.”

  • A new dawn

    A new dawn

    • Soldiers’ welfare gets a deserved boost

    It would seem a new dawn is here for soldiers of the Nigerian Army, with the disclosure by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, that the army has concluded arrangements to build befitting personal homes for soldiers fighting various forms of insurgency in the country.

    This contrasts with some of the distressing news that we heard during this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day earlier in the year. Widows of some of the soldiers who died in the line of duty had disclosed then, among others, that the children of such officers who could not gain admission to higher institutions after 18 years of age automatically forfeit the scholarship that such children were entitled to by the military.

     It is also common knowledge that soldiers fight for the apartments of some of their colleagues who died on active service as soon as they pass on, with their dependents literally forced to vacate the barracks.

    In the past decade or so, our soldiers have been fighting all manner of internal conflict, with some of them losing their lives in the process.

    It is bad enough for people to lose their loved ones, however; but for their dependents to be evacuated unceremoniously from their official quarters without compassion or compunction adds salt to the injury.

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    It is particularly against this depressing background that we welcome the initiatives of the Nigerian Army to raise the bar in terms of welfare for the soldiers.

    Gen. Lagbaja unveiled the good news at the opening of the First Quarter Chief of Army Staff Conference 2024 in Abuja on Tuesday , as part of the Nigerian Army’s new welfare initiatives to boost the morale of the soldiers. Lagbaja also said that premiums paid to beneficiaries of various insurance schemes to cater for troops’ dependents in any eventuality have been doubled, without any corresponding increase in the soldiers’  contributions.

    Moreover, he added that the Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) is aimed at alleviating the hardship soldiers encounter in securing personal accommodation after retirement.

    The new welfare scheme also covers soldiers with operational-related disabilities that the army chief said he has directed the Post-Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) to set aside five per cent of the AHOOAS Scheme in each estate for allocation to such soldiers. What is more? The Nigerian Army will cover all the housing expenses 100 per cent for such soldiers.

    We are happy with these developments. There is no sacrifice that is greater than paying the supreme sacrifice for one’s fatherland. People who chose to do this deserve the supreme reward. Agreed, they can’t be brought back from the dead, just as those with permanent disabilities are likely to live with the scars forever. But the burden could be lightened for them and their dependents through the provision of welfare packages such as the ones under consideration.

    Such provisions encourage the officers and men to put in their best because they know that even if the unexpected happens, there is something for them and  their dependents to fall back on. It is the absence of such welfare packages that drive some military men posted to certain ‘lucrative’ assignments to collude with civilians and sometimes criminals that they are supposed to fight, to short-change the country. In the end, it is the country that suffers.

    We commend Gen. Lagbaja for these thoughtful ideas. Accommodation is an essential of life and if this is guaranteed and complemented by other needs, then the nation can expect the best from its soldiers.

    We urge the soldiers to reciprocate these gestures by rededicating themselves to the service of the country.

    We also appeal to the government and the army command to ensure that these ideas are faithfully implemented because, already, the appetite of beneficiaries has been whetted; it would be disappointing if they get to the unexpected juncture only to realise that the promised el-dorado is only on paper.

    It would also not be a bad idea if these gestures can be extended to other arms of the military and even para-military agencies whose men also literally walk in the valley of the shadow of death in their efforts to keep the country safe.