Lagbaja death could have been influenced by lingering land despute - Family.members speculated

 The Lagbaja family is in deep mourning following the tragic death of Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, the family head, expressed regret over his decision to encourage his nephew’s military career, particularly his action of obtaining the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) form for him. Reflecting on the untimely death of Lt. General Lagbaja, Pa Tajudeen admitted that had he known the fate that awaited his nephew, he would not have facilitated his entry into the military. He stated, "If I had known that he would die before me, I would not have bought the NDA form for him."

Despite his sorrow, Pa Tajudeen accepted that death is part of life's cycle and gave thanks to God, acknowledging that "everyone who is born must die." He described his nephew’s death as a loss that felt personal, as he had considered Lt. General Lagbaja almost like one of his own children. The late COAS’s contributions to the Ilobu community, particularly his philanthropic act of constructing boreholes for his father’s compound and other areas, left a lasting impact on the local people

Amid the grief, some family members have speculated that the death could have been influenced by a lingering land dispute in Ilobu. 

The dispute, which began in 2023, involves the Nigerian Army’s plans to establish a hospital in the region, and some have raised concerns about possible diabolical forces at play. However, Pa Tajudeen focused on the positive legacy left behind by Lt. General Lagbaja, even as he continued to come to terms with the family's profound loss. He expressed deep sorrow that the promises his nephew had made to him would now remain unfulfilled.