Nigeria’s army chief, who led country through one of Africa's longest conflicts, dies

Nigeria’s service chief, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who led soldiers done a captious play successful nan conflict against Islamic extremists successful nan West African nation’s hard-hit northeast, has died aft an illness

ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria’s service chief, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who led soldiers done a captious play successful nan fight against Islamic extremists successful nan West African nation's hard-hit northeast, has died aft an illness, President Bola Tinubu said Wednesday. Lagbaja was 56.

Lagbaja, who served arsenic service main since June 2023, died connected Tuesday nighttime aft a “period of illness” successful Nigeria’s economical hub of Lagos, Tinubu said successful a connection issued by his office.

The precocious service main had not been seen successful nationalist successful astir 2 months, fueling rumors that he had died, which nan Nigerian service first denied much than 2 weeks ago.

He has already been replaced by Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, whom Tinubu appointed successful an acting capacity a week ago.

Lagbaja’s decease comes astatine a important clip arsenic Nigeria continues to conflict 1 of Africa’s longest wars connected militancy successful its northeastern region, wherever Boko Haram extremists launched an insurgency astir 15 years ago.

The country’s military, agelong underfunded and outgunned, has been fighting to slow nan description of nan extremists successful nan region and beyond.

While nan wave of convulsive attacks has decreased successful nan region complete nan years, analysts opportunity nan extremists person sought to enlistee much fighters and consolidate their strongholds successful nan Lake Chad basin.

Lagbaja had promised to entrench subject and professionalism successful nan Nigerian service arsenic 1 of his cardinal priorities, seeking to rebrand an institution often accused of mistreating civilians and extrajudicial killings successful conflict zones.