Germany Returns Stolen Benin Artifacts To Nigeria 

The Federal government  on Tuesday,  received 22 repatriated Benin Bronze from the German government.

At a ceremony held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja, the German authorities led by the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, repatriated the 22 Benin Bronze to the Nigerian government.

Baerbock said all the artefacts were looted in the 19th century and now have been returned to their native place.

Following an agreement made earlier this year to transfer ownership of more than 1,000 of these precious items, this collection of Benin Bronzes has now finally been returned.

Earlier in July, Nigeria said that Germany marks the first European country that had entered into this kind of agreement.
“It is part of efforts to address a dark colonial history,” said Baerbock.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, thanked the German government for doing the right thing by repatriating the stolen items. He however reminded the German government that Nigeria is not only seeking the return of Benin Bronzes but all Nigerian antiquities that were illegally or illicitly exported.

”It is upon returning these artefacts that true justice will be seen to have been done.” he said

Mr Mohammed also seized the opportunity to remind other countries with artifacts stolen from Nigeria to honorably return them.