Nigeria denies militant's death

Nigerian militants have been responsible for many kidnappings

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has denied claims a militant leader from the country's oil-rich Delta has died in police custody.

The president's spokesman said Henry Okah was "in safe custody".

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) had sent an e-mail to reporters saying he was shot "accidentally" during interrogation.

Mr Okah was extradited from Angola last week, where he was held in September for allegedly trying to buy arms.

The Mend e-mail said it had received "disturbing reports" Mr Okah had died at a military hospital in Kaduna state on Tuesday morning, after being shot during interrogation by Nigerian security forces.

Wild rumour?

Giving the government 24 hours to confirm or deny the rumour, the group warned: "Failure to do this will bring a bloodbath in that region and beyond."

According to the news agency Reuters, presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said: "I know that Henry Okah is alive. He is in safe custody."

He would not elaborate, reported Reuters.

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 Mr Okah has died in custody, it could spark a fresh round of violence and derail any talk of peace, he says.

Mr Okah is a founder member of Mend, which carried out attacks in the Delta two years ago that 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, although Mr Okah's faction has remained active.