Nigeria Receives Stolen Ife Terracotta From Netherlands
The Nigerian government has formally received the stolen Ife Terracotta from Netherlands.
Speaking, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the return of the stolen Ife Terracotta marks a milestone in Nigeria’s efforts at pursuing the return of the country’s antiquities.
Mohammed further revealed that the stolen Ife Terracotta was smuggled from Nigeria through Ghana to The Netherlands in 2019 with a forged document.
The Minister added that Nigeria successfully proved her case against the suspected smuggler following the interception of the artefact by the Dutch Customs at Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands.
However, Mohammed reiterated Nigeria’s believe in joint international efforts to put a stop to illicit export and import of cultural goods.
In his remarks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama thanked The Netherlands for the efficient manner in which it deployed resources to identify, retrieve, and repatriate the Ife Terracotta to Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Nigeria said the return of the artefact is a fitting gift to mark the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention on the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Culture Heritage.