Author Archives: Olaniyi Apanpa

FULL LIST: Lagbaja, other COAS who died in office

FULL LIST: Lagbaja, other COAS who died in office

Nigeria is in mourning following the sudden death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who passed away on Tuesday in Lagos after a brief illness. His death comes barely a year after he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu, marking a tragic blow to the nation’s military leadership. Lagbaja’s death also marks the third time a Chief of Army Staff has died in office, adding to a list of tragic losses among Nigeria’s military heads. Below are the ex-COAS who died in office: Joseph Akahan (August 1967) Joseph Akahan, a 30-year-old Army Chief, was appointed shortly before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967. After visiting the frontlines in Nsukka, he returned to his hometown in Gboko for a brief rest. As he headed