Lagbaja: I regret obtaining NDA form for late COAS, family head

The head of the family of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, has expressed profound regret for obtaining the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) form for his nephew, revealing that had he known the tragic fate awaiting him, he would never have done so.

In an emotional interview, Pa Lagbaja, a close relative of the late military chief, confessed, “Everyone who is born must die, but if I had known that he would die before me, I would not have obtained the form for him. I regret doing so. But it is destiny.” He described the loss of his nephew as a devastating blow, stating that “the death that killed Taoreed Lagbaja ought to take me,” and that he had always regarded him as one of his children.

He reminisced about the late COAS’s contributions to his family and the Ilobu community in Osun State, recounting how Lagbaja constructed a borehole in his father’s compound and other places in the village. “We can never forget him; his death is so shocking to us,” Pa Lagbaja added, visibly distraught.

The family, already reeling from the loss, is also grappling with allegations that the general’s death might have been the result of a diabolical plot linked to a land dispute in Ilobu. A family member, Madam Toyin, claimed that the late COAS’s demise was connected to the tensions surrounding a Nigerian Army hospital project in the community, which had caused significant controversy.

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Lt. General Lagbaja, who was appointed COAS in June 2023, passed away on November 5, 2024, in Lagos after battling an illness. His death has sent shockwaves through the nation, with tributes pouring in from various quarters, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who described him as a “dedicated servant of the nation.” Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State also mourned the loss, calling it a “huge blow to the nation.”

The Nigerian Army and prominent military leaders, such as former COAS Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, lauded Lagbaja for his exemplary leadership, discipline, and unwavering commitment to national security.

As Nigeria mourns the loss of this distinguished military leader, the late General’s legacy of courage, strategic brilliance, and service to his country continues to resonate.

Written by Sakinat Musa Abubakar, Editor at Neptune Prime 

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