ExxonMobil moves families from Nigeria oil complex

LAGOS, Nov 13 (Reuters) US energy company ExxonMobil evacuated the families of staff from its main Nigerian oil export terminal today after an armed attack a day earlier, a spokeswoman said.

About 60 militants armed with machine guns engaged troops guarding the 400,000 barrel-per-day Qua Iboe terminal in a gunfight for several hours yesterday. The attackers blew up at least one police boat and seized two machine guns from the navy.

A pregnant woman was killed in the crossfire.

''After all that shooting yesterday, we have relocated dependents where they feel more comfortable for a short time,'' said ExxonMobil spokeswoman Gloria Essien.

''We are on essential services. Production was not impacted by the incident,'' she added.

It was the third attack on a major Nigerian oil facility since September, when the rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta announced the end of a ceasefire over the arrest of its leader, Henry Okah, in Angola on arms dealing charges.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Qua Iboe attack.

REUTERS SKB HS1933