Three Australians and a New Zealander who were released after being held hostage in Nigeria for five days are still undergoing health checks and are not yet fit to return home.
The men were among seven workers for Perth-based mining company Macmahon Holdings who were kidnapped last Wednesday on the outskirts of the southern city of Calabar after gunmen shot dead their Nigerian driver Matthew Odok.
The three Australians, a New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia, a South African and two Nigerians have been taken to a safe location, but Foreign Minister Julie Bishop would not say if they were out of Nigeria.
"The precise details of their location are not being made public but I am assured by the company that they are being looked after, they are in safe hands," she told reporters in Perth on Tuesday.
"I'm relieved that they are and we've kept in touch with their families.
"It was obviously a very traumatic situation."
Five of the men are injured and are receiving medical attention.
Two of those are Australians, who have serious injuries and are in a stable condition.
"I understand they are going through health checks at present," Ms Bishop said.
"They are being looked after and I hope they can come home as soon as possible."
She again refused to say if the company had paid a ransom for the men's return, stressing the Australian government had a long-standing policy to not negotiate with hostage takers as it would increase risk for nationals around the globe.
"I understand there were negotiations with the company - that's obviously a matter for the company.
"The Australian government was dealing on a government-to-government level.
"Our focus was on their wellbeing and their safety and their freedom."
The company has also refused to say if it paid a ransom to secure the workers' release and hopes to fly the four expats out of Nigeria as soon as possible.
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