Nigeria militants say 9 soldiers killed in battle

LAGOS, Oct 4 (Reuters) A Nigerian militant group today said it killed nine soldiers and seized two military boats during a 90-minute firefight with troops in the oil heartland of Africa's top oil producer.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in an email to the media that it was sending another 500 fighters into Rivers State in the eastern delta to begin a ''number of strategic attacks'' on the oil industry.

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