Three Chinese workers kidnapped by gunmen in central Nigeria's Kogi state have been released unhurt.
"I can confirm to you that the abducted Chinese workers have been released," state police spokesman Sola Collins Adebayo told AFP.
"They were freed today through a joint operation by the police and other security agents."
He said the hostages, seized on Friday at a quarry outside state capital Lokoja, were unharmed but declined to say if a ransom had been paid.
A senior police officer told AFP earlier on Saturday that gunmen had stormed the quarry and a shootout left one officer on duty dead and another wounded.
The assailants then escaped with the hostages on foot.
Kogi state has seen a wave of abductions targeting foreigners this year.
Two weeks ago, two Chinese nationals were kidnapped in the state, while an American missionary was taken from her school last month.
The missionary, who works in the village of Emiworo where her Free Methodist Church runs a community organisation, was released last week.
State police said they were unaware of any ransom paid for her release.
Foreign hostages are frequently kidnapped by local gangs, who usually release them following a ransom payment.
