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| Nigeria denies militant's death | Nigeria denies militant's death |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Nigerian president has denied claims that a militant leader from the country's oil-rich Delta has died in police custody. | The Nigerian president has denied claims that a militant leader from the country's oil-rich Delta has died in police custody. |
| Presidential spokesman Segun Adeniyi said Henry Okah was "safe and well". | Presidential spokesman Segun Adeniyi said Henry Okah was "safe and well". |
| The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) had sent an e-mail to reporters saying he was shot "accidentally" during interrogation. | The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) had sent an e-mail to reporters saying he was shot "accidentally" during interrogation. |
| Last week, Mr Okah was extradited from Angola, where he was arrested for allegedly trying to buy arms. | Last week, Mr Okah was extradited from Angola, where he was arrested for allegedly trying to buy arms. |
| The Mend e-mail said: "Disturbing reports just reaching us suggest that Henry Okah succumbed to injuries from gunshot wounds at about 0400 hours today [Tuesday]... at a military hospital in Kaduna state... after he was shot in what those interrogating him claim was an 'accidental discharge'." | The Mend e-mail said: "Disturbing reports just reaching us suggest that Henry Okah succumbed to injuries from gunshot wounds at about 0400 hours today [Tuesday]... at a military hospital in Kaduna state... after he was shot in what those interrogating him claim was an 'accidental discharge'." |
| Hoax? | |
| But Mr Adeniyi said Mr Okah was in the capital Abuja in the custody of the security services. | But Mr Adeniyi said Mr Okah was in the capital Abuja in the custody of the security services. |
| The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says Nigeria by tradition is full of wild rumour and this could well turn out to be a hoax, but if it not, there could be real consequences. | |
| Mr Okah is a founder member of the Mend, which came to prominence in the Delta two years ago when it carried out a string of attacks which cut Nigerian oil production by a quarter. | |
| Since then the group has factionalised and some leaders have halted attacks after striking deals with the government. | |
| But if Mr Okah has died in custody, it could spark a fresh round of violence and derail any talk of peace, our correspondent says. |