The health status of Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja Chief of Army Staff, COAS, remains uncertain and there are reasons now to worry.
After an initial denial by the Army that Lagbaja’s health was in a critical state, and even threatened to hang a treason charge on the neck of those who said an acting COAS has been appointed, President Tinubu put a lie to the Army’s story of Lagbaja coming back “from vacation very soon”, by officially appointing Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as Acting COAS.
On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, while the seeming fluid situation was yet to sink, President Tinubu promoted Oluyede to Lt General, same rank as Lagbaja.
While on the surface this promotion could be seen as stamping Oluyede as the most senior in the Army, it creates a worrying feeling about the health situation of Lagbaja.
Naturally, this development has raised series of questions about the whereabouts of Lagbaja and his current state of health.
Speculations has it that Lagbaja may not be able to return to his position as COAS due to health challenges, which prompted him to travel out of the country to have a qualititative healthcare. Meaning that he may consider a retirement on health grounds.
It would be recalled that the rumoured death of Lagbaja spread like wildfire a couple of weeks ago before the appointment of Oluyede to be in Acting Capacity and COAS.
