Fake News Alert: Nigerian Army debunks Lagbaja’s death hoax
Lagbaja
Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Nigerian Army has dismissed claims that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has passed away from cancer, categorizing the report as fake news.
On Sunday, Jackson Ude, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, posted on X (formerly Twitter), alleging that Lagbaja had died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48 hours prior.
Ude’s post read:
“CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF DIES OF CANCER
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The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital overseas nearly 48hrs ago from stage three cancer, according to a senior Government official.
The death of the Chief of Army Staff has been kept secret because of intense lobbying by some Generals who want to take the position. Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 as the 27th Chief of Army Staff,” Ude tweeted.
However, the Nigerian Army quickly refuted the claim, dismissing it as false and urging the public to disregard the report. The Army described it as “fake news” and emphasized that Lagbaja is alive.