Nigeria expecting return of stolen antiquities from US, Scotland – FG

In October, the Federal Government of Nigeria is expecting the return of stolen antiquities from the United States and Scotland.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, revealed this at a news conference on Saturday in Lagos State.

He said: “In March 2021, the University of Aberdeen in Scotland agreed to return a Benin Bronze from its collections.

“We shall take possession of this in October this year.

“We have also secured a date in October 2021 for the repatriation of antiquities from the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

“These antiquities consist of two important Benin Bronzes and an exquisite Ife Bronze head.’’

Mohammed said that the development was part of the campaign he initiated in November 2019 to recover and repatriate Nigeria’s looted/smuggled treasures from all across the world.

According to the minister, the Netherlands returned a highly valuable 600-year-old Ife Terracotta in October2020, while Mexico returned a bronze piece in April 2021.

“The University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom has also agreed to return a disputed Benin artefact.

“We will soon commence the procedure for the repatriation of this highly-valued piece,’’ he said.