Why chief of defence staff should resign – Falana
Femi Falana, a senior advocate, says the chief of defence staff Gen. Lucky Irabor ought to resign over the burning of a vessel used for siphoning Nigeria’s crude.
Falana said this in a statement he issued on Sunday.
TheCornet reports that some soldiers working to secure the nation’s waterways against the activities of oil thieves had set fire to the crude-laden vessel.
The military defended its action as being part of its rules of engagement.
But, Falana insists it is an illegality. He said, “Indeed, the Chief of Defence Staff is not unaware that under the service law, the burning of a ship or vessel by a military personnel is a serious offence which attracts life imprisonment without an option of fine.
He quoted section 111 of the Armed Forces Act, which states that a person, subject to service law under the Act, who wilfully or maliciously sets fire to a public building, dwelling house, an office or any structure whatsoever or any vessel, ship, aircraft, railway track or wagon, or vehicle, is guilty of arson and liable, on conviction by a court-martial, to imprisonment for life.
“In view of the gravity of the offence that is being covered up by the military oligarchy, General Irabor ought to resign his appointment to prevent the sabotage of the ongoing operations designed to expose the perpetrators of oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
“If the General decides not to call it quits, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari should not hesitate to fire him. After all, by authorising the engagement of non-state actors to carry out the constitutional duties of the armed forces, the president has lost confidence in the leadership of the armed forces.”
