President Bola Tinubu has finally announced the passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, at the age of 56, after weeks of official silence and denials. The news comes shortly after Tinubu promoted Olufemi Oluyede to the rank of Lieutenant General, a move that now makes perfect sense.
A statement from presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed that Lagbaja died Tuesday night in Lagos after a period of illness. But this raises serious questions: why all the secrecy? Rumors about Lagbaja’s health had been circulating for weeks, and yet officials repeatedly denied them, insisting he was merely “on leave.” Now it turns out he was battling an illness, hidden from the public until it was impossible to conceal any longer.
This habit of covering up critical information is unfortunately too common. Even when leaks emerge, officials still double down, creating an air of mistrust. Here we are, in a country where the public deserves transparency, especially regarding the health and status of top officials entrusted with national security. Instead, it seems we’re handed the truth only when it suits those in power.
The timing of the announcement, immediately following Oluyede’s promotion, makes so much sense now . Stalling the news just long enough to ensure a successor was firmly in place before admitting Lagbaja’s passing.
