Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the new chief of army staff on Monday, 19th June 2023 to replace Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021. These are everything you need to know about Major General Taoreed Lagbaja;
His Early Life
- Born in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, Osun State on 28 February 1968.
- Attended Local Authority Teachers College Demonstration School Osogbo between 1973 – 1979.
- Attended St Charles Grammar School, Osogbo from 1979 – 1984.
- Attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan from 1984 to 1986 and obtained West African School Certificate (Advanced Level).
- Admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on 12 September 1987 as a member of the 39th Regular Course.
- Commissioned as 2Lt on 19 September 1992 into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.
Academic Qualifications
- BSc Geography – Nigerian Defence Academy (2001).
- MSc Strategic Studies – US Army War College (2014).
Courses Attended
- Company Amphibious Operations Course – Amphibious Training School (May – June 1993). – C.
- Young Officers’ Course (Infantry) – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (September – December 1993). – C+
- Basic Airborne Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (March – April 1995). – Not Graded
- Advanced Airborne Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (November – December 1995). – Not Graded
- Amphibious Staff Operations Course – Amphibious Training School (September – December 1997). – C
- Company Commanders’ Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2003). – C+
- Battalion Commanders’ Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (September – December 2009). – B
- Junior Staff Course – Armed Forces Command and Staff (May – December 2000). – C+
- Senior Staff Course – Armed Forces Command and Staff (August 2005 – July 2006). – C+
- Military Observers Course – Peacekeeping Wing Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2008). – B
- ECOWAS Standby Force Battalion Command Post Course – Peacekeeping Centre, Bamako, Mali – (June – August 2010). – Not Graded
- Strategy and Leadership Course – US Army War College (April 2003 – June 2014). – Not Graded
Command/Staff/Instructional Appointments
- 93 Battalion – 1992 – 1995 as a Platoon commander.
- 72 Special Forces Battalion – 1995 – 2001 as a Platoon commander.
- Nigerian Defence Academy – 2001 – 2004 as an Instructor.
- Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations – 2004 – Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of peacekeeping.
- Armed Forces Command and Staff College – July 2005 – February 2006 – Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of training.
- Armed Forces Command and Staff College – 2006 – 2009 – Directing Staff.
- Headquarters 81 Division – 2009 – 2012 – Deputy Chief of Staff G1 (Administration).
- 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi – 2012 – 2013 and 2014 – 2015 –Commanding Officer.
- Headquarters 8 Task Force Division Monguno – 2016 – 2017 – Chief of Staff.
- Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations – January – December 2018 – Acting Director of Operations.
- Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State – December 2018 – April 2019 – Commander.
- Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State – April 2019 – January 2020 – Commander.
- Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations – January 2020 – March 2021 – Director Force Generation.
- Headquarters 82 Division – March 2021 – August 2022 – General Officer Commanding.
- Headquarters 1 Division – August 2022 – Date – General Officer Commanding.
Promotion History
- Second Lieutenant – 12 September 1987.
- Lieutenant – 12 September 1991.
- Captain – 12 September 1995.
- Major – 12 September 2000.
- Lieutenant Colonel – 12 September 2005.
- Colonel – 12 September 2010.
- Brigadier General – 12 September 2015.
- Major General – 12 September 2019.
Honours/Awards
- Forces Service Star.
- Meritorious Service Star.
- Distinguished Service Star.
- Passed Staff Course (+).
- Fellows United States Army War College.
- Command Medal.
- Field Command Medal.
- Field Command Medal of Honour.
- General Operations Medal.
- Operation Harmony Medal.
- United Nations Peacekeeping Operation Medal.
- Operation LAFIYA DOLE Medal.
Operations Participated
- Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula – January 1996 – June 2000.
- United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) – 2004 – 2005.
- Operation ZAKI – September 2012 – April 2013/July 2014 – December 2015 – Internal Security Operation in Benue State.
- Operation LAFIYA DOLE – December 2015 – January 2018.
- Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA – March 2021 – August 2022 – Internal Security Operation in South East Zone Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States).
- Operation FOREST SANITY – Aug 2022 – Date – Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger States.
Marital Status
He’s happily married to Mrs Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja and the marriage is blessed with two children.
Hobbies
- Watching documentaries
- Reading biographies.