Meet Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja: The 2nd COAS who passed away less than two years in office

All you need to know about Late Lt.General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja can be access below.

Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was born on the 28th of February 1968 and served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in Lagos on the 5th of November 2024.

He was appointed into office by President Bola Tinubu on the 19th of June 2023 to succeed Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya to lead the Nigerian army through difficult moments of insecurity.

Early Life and Education

Lagbaja was a vibrant Yoruba boy born in Ilobu, Ireposun, present-day Osun State, Nigeria, on February 28, 1968. He attended St. Charles Grammar School and the Local Authority Teachers College, Oshogbo, and later gained admission to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987, joining the 39th Regular Course. By 1992, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps.

Military Training and Academic Background

He completed a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 2001 and later attended the U.S. Army War College, where he earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies.

Military Career and Key Appointments

He first served as a platoon commander with the 93 Battalion (1992-1995) and later the 72 Special Forces Battalion (1995-2001). In 2021 he became an instructor in the Nigerian Defence Academy until 2024.

Also, he was a Grade 2 Staff Officer overseeing peacekeeping operations at Army Headquarters and Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji (2006-2009) and participated in international courses such as the Military Observers Course on Peacekeeping in Jaji and the ECOWAS Standby Force Command Post Course in Bamako, Mali.

In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff G1 at Headquarters 81 Division. Later, he led the 72 Special Forces Battalion as Commanding Officer (2012-2013 and 2014-2015), and by 2016, he was named Chief of Staff at Headquarters 8 Task Force Division in Monguno.

In 2021, he was appointed General Officer Commanding Headquarters 82 Division and later Headquarters 1 Division in Kaduna from August 2022 until June 2023 when he became Chief of Army Staff, a role he assumed in June 2023 with his promotion to lieutenant general in July.

Notable Operations and Contributions to National Security

Lagbaja’s operational experience was extensive. He was involved in key peacekeeping and security missions throughout his career, including:

– Operation HARMONY IV in the Bakassi Peninsula

– UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC)

– Operation ZAKI in Benue State

– Operation Lafiya Dole targets insurgency

– Operation MESA/Udo Ka in Southeast Nigeria, focusing on internal security from March 2021 to August 2022

– Operation Forest Sanity from August 2022 to 2023, addressing security in Kaduna and Niger states

Personal Life and Interests

General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was married to Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja, and together, they had two children. Lagbaja was known for his love of documentaries and biographies.

The first Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Nigeria who died in office in less than 2 years was Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, who served from 28 January 2021 to 21 May 2021 when he died in the 2021 NAF Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i crash near Kaduna International Airport.