The head of the family of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Pa Tajudeen, has expressed deep sorrow over his nephew’s untimely death, stating that it should have been him instead. Speaking in an emotional interview with The Nation, Pa Tajudeen revealed that he would never have gone ahead with purchasing the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) form for Lagbaja if he had known that it would lead to his untimely demise.

Pa Tajudeen, who is also the younger brother of the late COAS’s father, reflected on the decision with regret. He explained that at the time he obtained the form for Lagbaja, he could not have foreseen the tragic outcome. “Everyone who is born must die,” he acknowledged, but continued, “If I had known that my nephew would pass away before me, I would not have taken that step. I regret obtaining the form for him. But it is destiny.”

He added, “The death that took Taoreed Lagbaja should have taken me. I saw him as one of my own children. We are devastated and filled with sorrow. His passing has left a huge void in our hearts.”

Pa Tajudeen also recounted the generous contributions of the late Chief of Army Staff to his community, noting that Lagbaja had built a borehole in his father’s compound and several other locations in the area. “We can never forget him; his death is a great shock to all of us,” he said, expressing the family’s profound grief over the loss of a beloved figure.