Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed his condolences on the death of the Chief of the Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
General Lagbaja who hailed from Osun State, died after a period of illness. He was aged 56 years old.
The Governor in a statement on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described the death of Gen. Lagbaja as a monumental loss to the nation.
He described the deceased as a dedicated soldier, a committed officer and a tested general who fought many battles to defend the territorial integrity of the country.
Governor Oyebanji pointed out that the deceased committed his youthful and adult life to the service of the nation as a commissioned officer of the Nigerian Army and served meritoriously in many formations across the country.
According to him, history would always be kind to Gen. Lagbaja in the fight against insurgency in the Northeast as the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in which he deployed his skills and experience to ensure the routing of terrorists.
He said Gen. Lagbaja’s exploits was recognized in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) as a leading commander of the troops from the countries in the Lake Chad Basin in their quest to defeat insurgency.
Governor Oyebanji stressed that the deceased’s industry and resourcefulness were instrumental to his appointment as the Chief of the Army Staff, noting that although his tenure was brief, it was remarkable especially in the deployment of technology in soldiering.
Recalling his encounters with the late COAS, the Governor said the late Chief of Staff’s swift response to the security challenge in Ekiti State after the gruesome murder of two traditional rulers and the kidnapping of school children is responsible for the current peaceful atmosphere in the state.
Governor Oyebanji commiserated with the family of the deceased urging them to take solace in the worthy legacies left behind by the three-star general.
The Governor also extended his condolences to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Service Chiefs, the Army High Command, the government and people of Osun State and the entire nation on the loss of a great patriot.
