Nigeria’s army chief who led soldiers through a critical period in the fight against Islamic extremists in the West African nation’s hard-hit northeast has died, President Bola Tinubu said Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who served as army chief since June 2023, died Tuesday night in Nigeria’s economic hub of Lagos after a “period of illness,” Tinubu said in a statement issued by his office without elaborating further. Lagbaja was 56.

Nigeria's president announced the death of Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja following a 'period of illness.'{ai:summary}<p>Nigeria's army chief, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has died at 56 after a period of illness, according to President Bola Tinubu. Lagbaja had been in service since June 2023 and played a significant role in combating Islamic extremism in the northeast.</p><p>His passing marks a critical loss for the Nigerian military amid ongoing security challenges. #military</p>

Army chief who was leading Nigeria through lengthy war, dies at 56

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