Lagbaja: Fresh controversy still surround  late COAS’s death 

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