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How Nigeria buried late Army Chief Lagbaja today
It was a painful and tear-filled day for Nigeria as the remains of former Chief of Army Staff, Taoheed Lagbaja was buried at the national military cemetery, Abuja with President Bola Tinubu described the late army chief as a “true soldier, a general and officer who symbolised the best of his profession and whose commitment to the nation he loved was singular and undiluted.”
Lagbaja, a lieutenant general, died November 5, in Lagos after a brief illness.
President Tinubu and his entourage, including some senior Nigerian military officers and foreign military personnel, were at the cemetery where Lagbaja was laid to rest in the presence of his wife, Mariya, and their two children.
President Tinubu said- “For me, he was a trusted advisor whose formidable intellect and breadth of knowledge served this nation well.”
The President said God took Mr Lagbaja’s life at “a time when his service to the nation could mean so much.”
However, the president celebrated the “selfless” lieutenant general “who gave everything for Nigeria.”
During the burial ceremony, Tinubu posthumously conferred the title of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) of Nigeria on Mr Lagbaja. The deceased’s wife, Mariya, received the award on behalf of her late husband.
Earlier at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, praised the late army chief as an “exemplified man, a soldier, a gentleman and a patron with an unwavering dedication to the service.”
The first lady said her thoughts and prayers “are with his (Mr Lagbaja) wife, Mariya, their two children, family and friends and colleagues.”
On Thursday, the Nigeria Army held an event in honour of Mr Lagbaja shortly after his body arrived from Lagos.
The event, a Service of Songs, was held at the Army Headquarters Garrison Parade Ground, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja.
Lagbaja was was born on 28 February 1968, in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State. He lived his early life in Osogbo where he attended St Charles Grammar School and Local Authority Teachers College.
He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1987 as a member of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 19th September 1992 into the Nigerian Infantry Corps.
Between 1992 and 1995, Mr Lagbaja was platoon commander of the 93 Battalion. From 1995 to 2001, he was platoon commander of 72 Special Forces Battalion. In 2001, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the Nigerian Defence Academy. He studied Strategic Studies at the US Army War College at the Master’s level.
He was an instructor at Nigerian Defence Academy between 2001 and 2004. He was a Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of peacekeeping at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations. Then he was a Directing Staff at Armed Forces Command and Staff College from 2006 – 2009.
By 2009, he became Deputy Chief of Staff G1 at Headquarters 81 Division and subsequently, he became Commanding Officer at 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi from 2012 to 2013 and 2014 to 2015.
In 2016, he was named the Chief of Staff at Headquarters 8 Task Force Division, Monguno. He served as Director of Operations at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations from January – December 2018. He was a Commander of Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State and Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Before he was appointed as army chief, Mr Lagbaja was General Officer Commanding Headquarters 82 Division from March 2021 – August 2022 and Headquarters 1 Division – from August 2022 – June 2023.
Earlier in 2008, he attended the Military Observers Course on Peacekeeping Wing at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2008) and ECOWAS Standby Force Battalion Command Post Course – Peacekeeping Centre, Bamako, Mali – (June – August 2010).
He started his career as a second lieutenant and died as a lieutenant general, a rank he attained in September 2019
Mr Lagbaja participated in Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula; United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC); Operation ZAKI Internal Security Operation in Benue State; Operation LAFIYA DOLE; Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA – March 2021 – August 2022 – Internal Security Operation in South-east Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States); and Operation FOREST SANITY – Aug 2022 to 2023 – Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger states.
Mr Lagbaja is not the first army chief to die while in office. In 2021, Ibrahim Attahiru, a lieutenant general and then chief of army staff died in a Kaduna-bound plane crash. Mr Attahiru died alongside 10 other military officers and crew.
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Former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Chief Albert Korubo Horsfall, has died at the age of 84.
Horsfall reportedly died on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at a hospital in Lagos after a prolonged illness.
He served as the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), now known as the DSS, from 1990 to 1992.
Horsfall also made history as the pioneer Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), where he played a key role in the development of Nigeria’s modern intelligence system.
Before rising to the top positions in the country’s intelligence community, he served as a police officer and was among the foundation staff of the former National Security Organisation (NSO).
After his service in the intelligence sector, Horsfall was appointed as the pioneer chairman of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), where he was involved in efforts to promote development in oil-producing communities across the Niger Delta.
His career in public service spanned several decades and included responsibilities in national security, intelligence and regional development.
Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Ajayi announced his death on Friday in a statement.
Operatives of Akwa Ibom state command of Marine Police, acting on a tip-off, have foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Oron waterways in the state.
The police spokesperson in the state, DSP Timfon John, who made this known during the week via a press statement in Uyo, said operatives of the Marine Police, Oron, acted on credible intelligence regarding the planned kidnapping operation.
She also disclosed the police embarked on the joint intelligence-led operation with Marine Hunters to the suspected criminal camp along the Calabar–Oron Channel.
She said the operation was targeted at disrupting the activities of a suspected criminal syndicate allegedly planning to carry out a kidnapping operation within the Oron axis.
“Upon arriving the camp, the operatives recovered the following items: one (1) Jojeef English pump-action gun; Two (2) cartridges; One (1) white rope suspected to be intended for criminal use; Two (2) speedboats; Three (3) 200HP outboard engines; and One (1) 15HP outboard engine,” the statement said.
She added that the recovered items have been secured for safe custody, proper documentation and further necessary investigative action.
The statement noted that the commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed, while commending the operatives and the marine hunters for their professionalism and proactiveness has reassured residents, particularly those in riverine communities, boat operators, fishermen and other waterways users, of their readiness to protect them and maintain security.
Fetus Keyamo, SAN, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has condemned the disruption of Peter Obi’s political engagement in Benue State, saying no candidate should be prevented from moving freely because of political differences.
Obi, the presidential candidate of National Democratic Congress, NDC, was reportedly stopped from proceeding to the venue of his planned visit in the state on Tuesday.
The minister said the incident should be condemned regardless of who was behind it, including claims by the Benue State Government that the disruption was connected to disagreements within Obi’s party.
He also dismissed suggestions that Obi’s planned visit to Yelwata, the scene of deadly attacks in 2025, justified attempts to stop him.
“Yesterday’s report of the prevention of the Presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, by some angry protesters from proceeding to the venue of his visit in Benue State must be condemned by all men of goodwill,” Keyamo said in a post on X on Wednesday.
“That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference,” he added.
Beyond the Benue incident, Keyamo turned his attention to the way political confrontations are portrayed in the media, accusing some outlets of using different descriptions depending on the party involved.
He alleged that when an APC candidate encounters an angry crowd, some media reports portray the incident as evidence of “rejection” by Nigerians, whereas similar confrontations involving opposition politicians are described as attacks by “sponsored thugs” or “hoodlums.”
“Many a time when an angry crowd confronts or molests an APC candidate at any level, the partisan Press shamelessly dubs or spins it as ‘rejection’ by ‘Nigerians’. When it concerns the opposition, then it is ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’,” he said.
Keyamo urged journalists to apply the same standards to all parties and candidates, warning that partisan reporting could further deepen political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. The Press must extricate itself from such partisanship and be fair to all,” he said.
The minister also criticised opposition politicians who, he alleged, encourage supporters to attack APC candidates in areas where the party has little support.
He maintained that voters should express their approval or rejection of candidates through their votes rather than violence.
“Whoever is angry at any candidate of any political party should display the anger with the ballot paper on voting day by a simple thumbprint, not by violent acts during campaigns,” Keyamo added.
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