Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, personally spoke to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, briefing him on his health status, POLITICS NIGERIA learnt.

Contrary to circulating rumours, Lagbaja is alive and recovering, according to sources at Defence Headquarters.

President Tinubu was relieved to hear from Lagbaja directly and expressed his joy and prayers for his quick recovery. One of the sources at DHQ revealed that Lagbaja held a clear conversation with the president and was in high spirits.

Earlier, the Nigerian Army Headquarters dismissed rumours of the death of its leader as “fake news.” The rumours were fueled by a social media post from Jackson Ude, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who alleged that Lagbaja had died of cancer in an undisclosed foreign hospital.

However, according to the Nigerian Army, Lagbaja is recuperating and in high spirits.

Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed that Lagbaja had travelled abroad for medical checkups but assured that he is entitled to such leave as a public officer.

In Lagbaja’s absence, Maj. Gen. Kevin Aligbe, Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, has been authorized to take up leadership in the interim.