Nigerian army clashes with militants in oil delta

Reuters

11 May 2011

Nigerian army clashes with militants in oil delta:

* Gun battle between soldiers and renegade militants

* No immediate threat to oil security

* Togo one of last remaining criminal gang leaders

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria, May 11 (Reuters) - The Nigerian army clashed with militants in the creeks of the Niger Delta on Wednesday, the first such skirmish for months in the heartland of Africa's biggest oil and gas industry.

Soldiers patrolling near the Ayakoromo community in Delta state fought a gun battle with fighters believed to be loyal to John Togo, a militant leader still at large following raids on his camps last year, military spokesman Timothy Antigha said.

"There was a skirmish between members of the joint military taskforce (JTF) who were on routine patrol and renegade militants suspected to be associates of the wanted John Togo," Antigha told Reuters.

Some sources said several people were killed but there was no independent confirmation of this