Lieutenant-General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja (28 February 1968 – 5 November 2024) was a distinguished Nigerian army officer whose career embodied strategic leadership and a deep commitment to national service. He served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from June 2023 until his death in November 2024, leaving behind a legacy of professionalism and military reform.
Early Life and Education
Lagbaja was born in Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State and spent his formative years in nearby Osogbo. He began his primary education at the Local Authority Teachers’ College Demonstration School in Osogbo and later attended St Charles Grammar School, also in Osogbo.
Between 1984 and 1986 he studied for his A-Levels at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. In 1987 he gained admission to the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of the 39th Regular Course, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography. Demonstrating a lifelong interest in strategic thinking, he earned a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in 2014.
Military Career
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps on 19 September 1992, Lagbaja built a career that spanned more than three decades. His service included:
Platoon and Battalion Commands: Early postings as platoon commander in several battalions.
Training and Instruction: Instructor at the Nigerian Defence Academy (2001–2004) and Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College.
Senior Leadership Roles: Commander of brigades and divisions in multiple operational theatres.
Operations and Peacekeeping: Participation in internal security missions such as Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East and Operation Forest Sanity in the North-West, along with contributions to international peacekeeping.
In June 2023 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Chief of Army Staff. In this role Lagbaja focused on strengthening the army’s operational capacity, improving troop welfare and deepening collaboration with other security agencies.
Personal Life
Lagbaja was married to Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja and they had two children. A practising Muslim, he was widely regarded as a devoted family man whose personal discipline mirrored his professional life.
Death and National Mourning
Lieutenant-General Lagbaja died in Lagos on 5 November 2024 at the age of 56 after a brief illness. His passing prompted tributes from across Nigeria. President Tinubu described his death as “a great loss to the nation,” while colleagues and citizens alike praised his courage, dedication and reform-minded leadership.
Legacy
Lagbaja’s influence endures in the soldiers he trained and mentored and in the reforms he initiated to enhance Nigeria’s security architecture. His career combined operational expertise with academic rigor, setting a standard for modern military leadership in Nigeria.
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Sources
Blueprint.ng – “Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja 1968–2024”
Vanguard Nigeria – “Eight Things to Know About Late Chief of Army Staff Taoreed Lagbaja”
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