The Nigerian Army has firmly dismissed rumours circulating about the death of its Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, calling the reports “fake news.”
On Sunday, false information emerged online claiming that the army chief had passed away in an overseas hospital due to stage three cancer.
According to the unverified reports, his death had been kept secret due to internal lobbying within the army for his position.
Through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Nigerian Army Headquarters debunked the allegations, advising the public to disregard the misleading claims.
They stated that the reports, which originated from unreliable sources, were entirely baseless. The army urged people to seek information from credible outlets.
Lt. Gen. Lagbaja, who was appointed Chief of Army Staff by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, remains in good health.
The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to transparency and accuracy in disseminating information, encouraging citizens to avoid falling for misinformation.
News About Nigeria reported that Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser for Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, also took to his X platform to debunk the rumours
He stated that Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, had firmly denied the reports.
Onanuga clarified that Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim had been designated to act on behalf of Lt. Gen. Lagbaja during his absence, following proper protocol.
He said: “Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, has dismissed fake reports about the chief of army staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja.
“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.”
