By Mathew Dadiya and Olugbenga Salami
President Bola Tinubu has directed that the national flag must be flown half-mast.
This is due to the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who died after a brief illness
President Tinubu, also ordered rescheduling the Federal Executive Council meeting till another date to be announced. Initially scheduled for Wednesday, the council meeting was postponed in honour of Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, who passed away on Tuesday night.
General Lagbaja served as the Chief of Army Staff from June 19, 2023, till his death on November 5, 2024.
Earlier today, President Tinubu expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Lagbaja family and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The President wished Lt. General Lagbaja eternal peace and honoured his significant contributions to the nation.
Also, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and his predecessor, Ahmad Lawan, have expressed shock and sadness over the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, saying his demise is a huge loss to the country and the security community.
Akpabio, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom described the late Lagbaja, as a fine officer, who gave his all for the territorial security and unity of the country.
The Senate President said he received the news of the death of the late military chief with shock, few days after he had spoken with the president and was upbeat about his return to office.
“I received the news of the death of the late Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, with shock. His death, coming at a time the country needed his wealth of experience in tackling and bringing to end insecurity in some parts of the country, is a huge loss to the country and the security community.
“He was a fine, committed and dedicated officer, who served the country with all his might, even at the risk of paying the supreme price.
“On behalf of my family, the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I commiserate with the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the military community, the larger Lagbaja family on this great loss.
“I pray that Almighty Allah, grants his wife, children, colleagues and those who knew him, the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss and also grant the soul of the departed gallant officer Aljanah firdaus”, he added.