Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday said more than 27 of its officers and ratings were killed by militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta, the first quarter of the year.

This is as the Naval authorities have impounded a ship carrying about 12,500 metric tons of crude oil worth over N4 billion.

The new Director of Naval Information (DINFO), Commodore David Nabaida, gave the figures yesterday during his courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of Champion Newspapers Ltd, Lagos.

He, however, said the painful death of the naval personnel would not deter the Navy from restoring peace in the Niger Delta.

Said he: "Our boys are making tremendous sacrifice out there. They are making ultimate sacrifice. Just last week, we lost four of our boys and four others injured. What were they doing? They came to protect the resource of their country so that even the people in that area will live in peace and enjoy the wealth God has endowed in their place. We have lost 27 ratings and officers in Niger Delta crisis. It is very unfortunate."

Nabaida who was accompanied on the visit by the immediate past Director of Information, Navy Captain Henry Babalola, Navy Public Relations Officer, Western Command, Navy captain D. Ajibulu, and others, however, solicited media co-operation for effective performance of the Navy’s constitutional role of protecting the territorial integrity of the country.

On the impounded ship, Nabaida said that it was allegedly intercepted in Warri, Delta State, while attempting to smuggle crude oil out of Nigeria’s territorial waters, adding that several barges were also impounded in the recent raid.

"You can see that we saved lots of money. The 12500 metric tons is equivalent of 13 billion litres and if a litre is sold for N70, you know how much that mean."

Nabaida further said the case has been handed over to police, while the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has purportedly evacuated its content.

"We don’t investigate, we don’t collect tax. Shortly after the arrest, we handed them over to police and I think NNPC officials have evacuated the products."

Fielding questions from CNL senior editors, Nabaida said that the Navy was committed to the protection of Nigeria’s massive maritime areas.

"The vast resources used to run this country are derived from the maritime zone and navy is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the vast zones. We’ve played vital roles in the economy of the country. No nation survives without its navy because maritime environment is where over 80 per cent of its resources are derived," he said.

On recent assault on Miss Ngozi Okere by naval personnel in the presence of Rear Admiral. Henry Arogundade in Lagos, Nabaida said "we are investigating the matter. The media have not helped the cause. They decided to listen to only one side. I challenge anybody to go to the scene of the incident and ask eyewitnesses. I think something is wrong somewhere. There is proper means of handling such matter and as am talking to you, Chief of Naval Staff is yet to receive a written complaint over the issue."

He also said the naval officer who killed a commercial motorcycle rider (Okada) at Ikeja, Lagos, in 2006, had been dismissed from the force, adding that the officer was court marshalled and found guilty for pulling a gun against a defenceless civilian.