President Bola Tinubu has posthumously awarded the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, with the prestigious title of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).
The announcement was made on Friday during the burial ceremony held in honor of the late army chief at the National Cemetery in Mogadishu, Abuja.
President Tinubu commended Lagbaja’s virtues and praised his significant contributions to national security. He described the decision to appoint Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff as one of the most commendable choices of his administration.
The event was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minister of Defence, state governors, and senior military officials.
It is worth noting that President Tinubu announced Lagbaja’s passing last week, revealing that the respected military leader died in Lagos following an illness.
Born on February 28, 1968, Lagbaja served as Chief of Army Staff for one year and four months, having been appointed by Tinubu in June 2023. He was instrumental in various internal security operations, including Operation ZAKI in Benue State, Lafiya Dole in Borno, Udoka in the Southeast, and Forest Sanity across Kaduna and Niger States.