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 WARRI, Nigeria (AP) - Bristling with heavy weapons, masked militants responsible for a wave of violence targeting Nigeria's oil industry showed off a 68-year-old American hostage Friday who appealed to the international community to help secure his release.
Macon Hawkins of Kosciusko, Texas, said he turns 69 on Wednesday and wants "freedom" for his birthday.
The militants, who claim to be fighting for a greater local share of the country's oil wealth for their impoverished region, seized Hawkins and eight other foreign oil workers from a barge in the Niger Delta's mangrove swamps Feb. 18.
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