Nigerian president says army chief is dead

ABUJA, NIGERIA — 

Nigerian service main Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has died, according to a connection Wednesday from the country’s president.

On the societal media level X, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced Lagbaja’s decease and expressed condolences to his household and Nigeria's equipped forces.

Lagbaja, 56, died successful Lagos connected Tuesday nighttime aft a play of illness, authorities said. They did not elaborate connected his illness.

Two weeks ago, Nigerian defence authorities denied rumors suggesting the service main had died aft his prolonged lack from the nationalist and progressive duty.

The Nigerian service has been warring assorted adversaries crossed the country, including bandits and the Boko Haram insurgents.

Lagbaja is not the archetypal Nigerian service main to dice portion connected progressive work successful caller years. In 2021, Ibrahim Attahiru died successful a subject aerial clang on with 10 different high-ranking officials.

Tinubu appointed Lagbaja successful June 2023, soon aft taking office. Lagbaja launched a run seeking to repair the estimation of the military, which is often accused of mistreating civilians and extrajudicial killings.

Last week, Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede arsenic acting service main and, connected Tuesday, promoted him to the fertile of lieutenant general.