Politics
Lagbaja: Fresh controversy still surround late COAS’s death
…as family question cause of death, calls for proper investigation
The Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was buried, with a last minutes post-humus honour of the CFR by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu at the weekend, just as his death threw the whole nation into the general state of mourning as the people are aware that Nigeria has again lost a great man in battle. Gen. Lagbaja’s death, according to commentators, has been regarded as the most emotional by the top prominent military brass, who had died in active service, in recent times.
It was not only emotional but drew sympathy across the country, because he was seen as a forthright military officer, whose role was visibly noticed in the present era of Nigeria, trying to tackle insecurity.
He was also seen as a no-nonsense officer, who had participated in many operations, such as Lafia Dole in Borno, Saki in Benue, and Forest Sanity in Kaduna, across Niger and other States in the North West, Nigeria.
All these, coupled with the facts that he was always leading from the front in all the Divisions he had served, it was argued by his colleagues, earned him the position of Chief of Army Staff without political influence.
Although he was the third person in that position, who had died in active service, the circumstances surrounding his death, the suspicions raised, and the insecurity dilemma, which Nigeria is facing today, made his death more pronounced than the previous two of Joseph Akahan, who died in an Helicopter crash in 1967 at the age of 30 years, and that of Lt General Attahiru Ibrahim, who died also in a plane crash along with 10 other occupants in 2019. He only spent two months in office.
Just as it is the typical attitudes and beliefs of all tribes in Africa, especially in Nigeria, no incident, accident, most especially death, is regarded as natural, but is usually linked to something diabolical and supernatural cause.
Uncertain cause
Such seems to be said about Gen. Lagbaja’s death and this has heightened the suspicions and controversies surrounding how he died among friends, family members, and even in the government and military circles.
The manner of the late number one soldier died still remains a mystery, and speculations are rife pointing to three directions, namely his health, diabolical, and sabotage or complicity, making it more worrisome.
While the major cause of his death has been attributed to health issue of cancer by the authorities, his friends and associates, opinion molders and some concerned Nigerians pinned it to alleged sabotage by some cabal in both the military and government circles on the way he was tackling the security operations to curtail insurgency and other insecurity issues, especially since he was fairly active before he suddenly disappeared from public glare.
Up till now, his immediate family members are still convinced that he died of any other thing but ill-health, believing that the circumstances of his death would be tackled spiritually to determine what happened.
The people in Lagbaja’s town of Ilobu in Osun State are still gravely mourning him and have vowed that they would do everything to unravel the cause of his death, if it means invoking the spirit of their ancestors, to strike back at his killers.
They believed that even if the government and Military authorities are hiding the facts concerning his death, this could not be buried forever as the truth would surfaced one day.
What has ignited the concern and issues behind Gen. Lagbaja’s death was the allegation by one of his relations, a niece called Toyin, who claimed that he was diabolically killed over a landed dispute between Ilobu and people of Ifon and Erin Osun, their neighbors, where the late Chief of Army Staff initiated four community projects, one of which is the proposed Military hospital.
This was even confirmed by the powerful delegations sent from the Defence Headquarters in Abuja to condole the family.
The leader of the team, General Kamar Ishola Yusuf, which visited the Palace of Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olaniyi, assured the people and the family that they would make sure that the four community projects, which Lagbaja initiated in the area would be completed.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, of Osun too made mentioned of the communal crisis in the area over land and boundary disputes as he sued for peace among the affected communities.
Governor Adeleke in the presence of the top Military brass, who came on condolence visit said, “Let us honour the memory of our brother and remain in peace. We can’t afford any bloodshed again. This is the time to see each other as one and push for common development of the local government and the State.”
As a matter of fact, the death of Gen. Lagbaja has led to political controversies as one would not imagine that the two major political parties in Osun state would bring politics into it. Both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) were at each other’s throats on Gen. Lagbaja’s matter.
The APC through its Director of Publicity, Communications, and Strategy, Chief Kola Olabisi, accused Governor Adeleke of desecrating the death of the late army chief by dancing at a function when the state was supposed to be mourning the loss of a great citizen of the state, the PDP threw it back at them through its State Chairman, Chief Sunday Bisi, who lambasted the APC for its act of immorality, using the unfortunate loss of Lagbaja to play its usual irresponsible politics.
With all said and done, one controversial and major allegation, which could cause serious issue for the authorities is that of Mr. Jackson Ude, publishers of Point Blank News, who alleged that Gen. Lagbaja was poisoned by some unnamed persons in the military and that he did not die of cancer as claimed.
According to him, when he first announced his death, the Military dismissed it as fake news. Ude further alleged that “he never died of cancer. “He could not have died of cancer. I knew him well enough. He does not have any history of cancer and never told me he had cancer.
“He was healthy and agile; you could see this while doing press up with soldiers and no one with terminal stage cancer would be able to do that; he was certainly poisoned,” he further alleged.
Whatever the case may be as the immediate families of Lagbaja are still much bereaved and condolences are still being expressed by Nigerians, the fact remains that the families have vowed that they would not go to sleep over the death of their son. This controversy may explain why Pa Tijani Lagbaja, uncle to the late General, said “he would not have bought NDA form for him if he had known,” it would lead to his untimely death.
His nephew and Pastor Olufemi Salako, the National President of Asake Development Union in Ilobu, the Gen.’s home, said any information hidden would eventually come to light, as they still believed their son did not die a natural death, as the circumstances of his demise were very suspicious.
While they said they would continue with their own findings locally, they urged both the Federal government led by President Tinubu and the Military authorities to carry out proper investigations concerning his death