Lagbaja’s absence: No Leadership Vacuum In Army – spokesman

The Nigerian Army has dismissed media reports suggesting that there is leadership vacuum following the absence of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

Army spokesman, Onyema Nwachukwu, said Lagbaja is on official leave, and necessary protocols have been put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS during his absence.

Nwachukwu, a major general, emphasised that Lagbaja’s absence is not affecting the operations of the service.

“There have even been insinuations that there is a leadership vacuum, with officers confused about what to do. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said on Saturday.

“To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances. Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS while he was away.

“This is not peculiar to the NA, as there have been instances where unforeseen human frailty kept service chiefs away for about three months, and their Chiefs of Policy and Plans held sway in their absence. Claims of a leadership vacuum in the NA at present are therefore mere speculation, as all routine and scheduled activities of the service are on course.”

The army spokesman said all routine and scheduled activities of the service are on course, adding that the appropriate departmental chiefs are fully carrying out their responsibilities in line with the COAS directives.