Lieutenant General Taoreed A Lagbaja, a member of the 39th Regular Course assumed duty as the 23rd Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army on 20 June 2023 after serving in different units and formations. He is a native of Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State.

General Lagbaja was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as a member of 39th Regular Course in 1987. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 19th September 1992 into the Nigerian Infantry Corps. He has had multiple command and staff positions in many divisions throughout the past years. General Lagbaja's educational background includes the following: He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 2001 and a Master's level studies in Strategic Studies at the US Army War College.
General Lagbaja has had an extensive and diverse military career with numerous appointments and operational experiences. Here is a summary of his career timeline and notable assignments: 1992-1995: Platoon Commander, 93 Battalion 1995-2001: Platoon Commander, 72 Special Forces Battalion. 2001-2004: Instructor, Nigerian Defence Academy Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of peacekeeping, Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations 2006-2009: Directing Staff, Armed Forces Command and Staff College 2009: Deputy Chief of Staff G1, Headquarters 81 Division 2012-2013, 2014-2015: Commanding Officer, 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi 2016: Chief of Staff, Headquarters 8 Task Force Division, Monguno January-December 2018: Director of Operations, Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations Commander of Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State Commander of Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State March 2021-August 2022: General Officer Commanding, Headquarters 82 Division August 2022-June 2023: General Officer Commanding, Headquarters 1 Division September 2019-present: Lieutenant General Throughout his career, General Lagbaja has been involved in various operations and missions, ... including: Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) Operation ZAKI Internal Security Operation in Benue State Operation LAFIYA DOLE Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA (March 2021 to August 2022) Internal Security Operation in South-east Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States) Operation FOREST SANITY (August 2022 to 2023) Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger General Lagbaja's career progression showcases his dedication and experience in various command and staff roles, as well as his involvement in both national and international military operations He has attended different Military Courses. He holds the Passed Staff Course Dagger [psc(+)] award to his credit and the Meritorious Service Star (MSS) Military Honours and Service Awards.

He is married to Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja and the marriage is blessed with 2 children. General Lagbaja enjoys watching documentaries and reading biographies.