Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, says the military resorts to burning vessels seized for oil theft because slow prosecution and weak legal processes allow offenders to quickly return to business.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the defence chief lamented that soldiers risk their lives to arrest suspects, only for them to be freed on technical grounds or handed light penalties. He said such outcomes discourage troops and embolden criminals.
General Musa cited incidents in the Niger Delta where vessels used for illegal bunkering were released to operators after token fines. He explained that the military began destroying such vessels to prevent their return to crime.
“In the South-South, we arrest a vessel, they pay peanuts, and it goes back to operation. That is why we started burning them. Then people raised concerns about the environment, so we are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Burning them brought some peace, but handing them over through the legal system only prolongs the problem,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria’s weak and slow justice system undermines military operations against terrorism, banditry, and organised crime, worsening insecurity nationwide.
“It is about the legal process. Many cases collapse in court. We need to establish special courts to handle them quickly. Punishments must be stricter. When people know they can escape consequences, impunity grows. Imagine risking your life to arrest someone, only to hear the next day that they have been released. Would you, as a soldier, be eager to take such risks again?” he asked.