The police in Nigeria's oil rich Rivers State has confirmed the release of some foreign nationals abducted by gunmen operating in the oil rich region.

State police spokesperson Rita Abbey confirmed this to Xinhua on Sunday on telephone.

"Yes, we have received the information from our navy counterpart," she said.

A military spokesman in Rivers State also confirmed the release of the foreign nationals to Xinhua.

"Yes, they have been released, but we are not directly involved in this matter," the officer who pleaded not to be mentioned said.

According to him, men of the Nigerian Navy are at the top of the matter.

A senior official with the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Umar Ahmed had told Xinhua on Saturday that members of the crew were mainly Eastern Europeans.

He said a cargo vessel with inscribed BBC Palonia and another were raided during the attack at about 1800hrs.