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Friday, March 29, 2024

Nigeria receives 600-year old artifact smuggled to the Netherlands

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Nigeria has received a “priceless” terracotta head believed to be at least 600 years old which was smuggled to the Netherlands, the information minister said.

It was taken from southwestern city of Ile-Ife and smuggled through Ghana.

Dutch ambassador to Nigeria Harry Van Dijk on Thursday returned it to Information Minister Lai Mohammed in a ceremony in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

“The smuggler had obtained forged documents” to take it out of the country, Mohammed was quoted as saying in a statement.

Dutch customs intercepted it at Amsterdam airport and “alerted the.. Information and Heritage Inspectorate of the Netherlands to give an opinion,” the statement said.

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Dutch officials then contacted their Nigerian counterparts, leading to the return of the “priceless and timeless” artefact, Mohammed said.

Hundreds of Nigerian artefacts, including Benin bronzes stolen during pre-colonial and colonial period, are in museums in Europe and the United States.

Mohammed said Nigeria would continue to seek their return. 

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