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UPDATED: Guard Of Honour Held For Late COAS Lagbaja As Body Arrives In Abuja

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The body of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has arrived in Abuja where he will be buried on Friday.

The Nigerian Airforce plane NAF 918 carrying the body of the late COAS landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, at around 12:15pm on Thursday.

The remains of the late COAS left the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos around 11am.

The military top brass were on ground to receive the remains of the late COAS in Abuja, with military band playing to the loudest.

Upon arrival at the Abuja airport, a guard of honor was accorded to the body of the late COAS and was taken down this red carpet in full view of Nigeria’s military top brass.

The late COAS body will be interned on Friday at the national military cemetery Abuja.

The COAS died last week Tuesday, according to the presidency.

Lagbaja passed away in Lagos after a period of illness. However, the illness was not disclosed.

During this difficult time, President Bola Tinubu expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Born on February 28, 1968, Lagbaja served as the Chief of Army Staff for one year and four months following his appointment to the position by President Tinubu in June 2023.

His military career began when he enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987. On September 19, 1992, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps as a member of the 39th Regular Course.

Lt. General Lagbaja also served as a platoon commander in the 93 Battalion and the 72 Special Forces Battalion.

He played pivotal roles in numerous internal security operations, including Operation ZAKI in Benue State, Lafiya Dole in Borno, Udoka in Southeast Nigeria, and Operation Forest Sanity across Kaduna and Niger States.

An alumnus of the prestigious U.S. Army War College, he earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies, demonstrating his dedication to professional growth and excellence in military leadership.

Lt. General Lagbaja is survived by his beloved wife, Mariya, and their two children.

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Killings: Shettima visits Plateau today, Danjuma calls for self-defence

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Amid renewed violence in Plateau and Benue states that has claimed over 100 lives in recent weeks, Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to visit Plateau State today (Monday) as part of federal efforts to stem the tide of attacks and foster lasting peace.

The visit comes days after gunmen launched deadly attacks on Bokkos and Bassa communities in Plateau, attracting public outrage and deepening calls for urgent government intervention.

Confirming the Vice President’s visit, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed during a tour of affected communities in Bassa on Saturday that Shettima’s visit was directed by President Bola Tinubu himself.

“Mr. President is deeply concerned about these killings. That is why the National Security Adviser was here last week, and now the Vice President is coming to engage stakeholders directly,” Yilwatda stated.

During his visit, Shettima is expected to convene a high-level stakeholders’ meeting aimed at enhancing security coordination and strengthening local peace initiatives.

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, who also visited the communities with top military commanders, including Maj. Gen. Folusho Oyinlola, assured residents of the Federal Government’s commitment to justice and security.

“We are investigating seriously. We are on the trail of the perpetrators and, by God’s grace, they will be brought to justice,” Badaru said.

“Support programmes for victims, especially widows, have also been launched, and more help will come to ease their pain,” he added.

Meanwhile, a former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), has once again called on Nigerians to rise and defend themselves.

Speaking at a public function in his hometown, Takum, Taraba State, Danjuma reiterated a warning he gave five years ago, arguing that relying solely on government security forces is no longer realistic.

“The warning I gave years ago remains valid. Nigerians must rise and defend themselves before these bandits overrun the entire country,” he said.

Danjuma expressed sorrow over the ongoing killings in Benue and Plateau states, describing them as evidence of the government’s failure to secure the lives and property of its citizens.

“We must be proactive. We cannot continue to watch helplessly while our people are massacred. Enough is enough,” he stressed.

Also, the Plateau Youth Council, Northern Zone, condemned the attacks as deliberate and genocidal, rather than communal clashes as claimed by federal officials.

Addressing journalists in Jos, PYC Northern Coordinator, Samson Chiroma, said, “These are not random clashes. These are systematic attempts to displace our people, coinciding with the beginning of the wet farming season.

This is genocide, plain and simple.”Chiroma accused Fulani militias of carrying out the attacks and faulted the Federal Government’s response as inadequate and detached from reality.

“If the authorities are serious about stopping these killings, they must start by arresting those making inciting statements. Otherwise, it will appear that some people are above the law,” he said.

He called for urgent reinforcement of Operation Rainbow, the state’s local security outfit, through recruitment and retooling to better protect vulnerable communities.

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Girl, 14, killed by lion in Kenya

The alarm was raised by another teenager and KWS rangers followed tracks to the nearby Mbagathi River, where they found the primary school girl’s remains.

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  • Lion/ Getty Images

A 14-year-old girl has been killed by a lion on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said.

The child was snatched from a residential compound on a ranch next to Nairobi National Park, according to the conservation agency.

The alarm was raised by another teenager and KWS rangers followed tracks to the nearby Mbagathi River, where they found the primary school girl’s remains.

The lion has not been found but KWS said it had set a trap and deployed search teams to look for the animal.

(BBC)

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UPDATE: Four-storey building collapses in Lagos (Photos)

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A four-storey building has collapsed in Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos, with occupants trapped, and some feared dead.

Panic gripped residents when the uncompleted building suddenly collapsed on Saturday.

The building houses the popular Equal Right Restaurant.

The incident happened at about 11a.m., today.

As of press time, men of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, as well as the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, who had been contacted have arrived at the scene.

See photos below:

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