The Nigerian Army has honoured its late former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, by naming a newly built complex at the Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management in Lagos after him, even as troops in a separate operation apprehended 24 foreign nationals during a raid targeting undocumented immigrants in Epe.
At the complex’s inauguration, Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to strengthening institutional capacity through modern infrastructure supporting professional military education, efficient administration and improved personnel welfare. According to a statement from Acting Director of Army Public Relations Colonel Appolonia Anele, the complex is designed to enhance the college’s training, administrative and welfare functions, providing an environment for developing skilled logistics professionals capable of supporting operational effectiveness across the Army. Shaibu described Lagbaja as an outstanding military leader whose professionalism, integrity, selfless service and unwavering commitment to national service continue to inspire officers and soldiers, saying naming the complex after him reflects the institution’s enduring appreciation for his contributions to force development, leadership and operational excellence, and urged officers, instructors and students at the college to uphold the values he exemplified by remaining disciplined, professional and committed to excellence, reiterating that sustained investment in training institutions, infrastructure and personnel welfare remains central to his command philosophy of building a more professional, adaptive, combat ready and resilient force.
Separately, troops of the 65 Battalion apprehended 24 foreign nationals during a coordinated operation in Epe local government area of Lagos State, part of ongoing efforts to rid the 81 Division’s area of responsibility of criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats. According to a statement from Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, the operation followed credible intelligence on undocumented foreign nationals in the battalion’s area, leading troops, working with the Vigilante Group, to raid a secluded fenced compound at Imokun in the Odo Noforija Poka axis of Epe, where they apprehended 15 men and nine women. Preliminary profiling identified the suspects as nationals of several West and Central African countries, including Cameroon, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau, with initial investigations underway to determine their immigration status, purpose of stay and any possible involvement in unlawful activity, while efforts continue to identify and question the compound’s owner. The suspects were handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service’s Lagos State Command on July 16, 2026 for further investigation and processing. General Officer Commanding 81 Division Major General Adebayo Babalola commended the troops for their professionalism and vigilance, directing them to sustain and intensify operations to deny criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other threats any operating space within the division’s area of responsibility, while reaffirming the division’s commitment to supporting other security agencies in maintaining peace and public safety.
