President Bola Tinubu has honoured the 23rd Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Late Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, with the posthumous national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) to appreciate his invaluable contributions to the nation.
President Tinubu disclosed this at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja on Friday during his speech at the burial of the late COAS, who died last week Tuesday after a brief illness.
The President immediately paused and asked the widow of the Late Lieutenant General Lagbaja, Mrs Maria Lagbaja, to come forward to receive the award medal.
President Tinubu had earlier led a crop of top political-office holders, Security Chiefs, family members and friends of the late Lieutenant General Lagbaja, to bid farewell to the 23rd COAS.
The burial rites, taking place at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja on Friday afternoon, followed a funeral service earlier at the National Christian Centre, which was attended by First Lady, Mrs Remi Tinubu.
Besides President Tinubu, who is the special guest of honour at the solemn event, Vice President Kashim Shettima; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas; Ministers and some governors led by the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, were also present.
The military and other security top brass was led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa. Also, in attendance were traditional rulers and members of the Diplomatic Corps, among others.
During their separate speeches, President Tinubu and CDS Musa described the Late General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja as a ‘Soldier’s Soldier’.
Tinubu also said his appointment of Lagbaja as COAS was one of his best decisions.
