YENEGOA - The police in oil rich Nigeria's Bayelsa State on Thursday confirmed the release of four foreigners kidnapped by pirates on December 13, 2012.

The foreigners were kidnapped about 74 kilometers off the Atlantic coast of Bayelsa.

Three of the victims were Italians while the fourth victim, a sailor, whose nationality could not be ascertained, were abducted on board "MV Asso Ventuno" by gunmen suspected to be pirates.    

State police spokesperson Fidelis Odunna confirmed their release to reporters in Yenagoa, the oil rich state capital on Thursday.

"I can confirm that the kidnapped victims have been released. We got the information this morning that the victims have been freed by their captors." he said.    "What we don't know is the circumstances which they were freed. Whether ransom was paid or not is what we don't know. But it is confirmed that they have been set free," he added.

Over 400 foreigners have been seized in the oil rich Niger Delta since 2006. Almost all have been released unharmed after paying a ransom.