Nigeria, US To Sign Agreement To Stop Illegal Trafficking Of Artefacts

The federal government and the US have agreed to a bilateral
agreement prohibiting illicit trafficking of cultural property and
historical artefacts.

According to NAN, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and
culture, disclosed the development after meeting with Mathew
Lussenhop, US acting assistant secretary of state on education and
culture, in Washington DC.

The minister said the agreement, which would be signed in
Nigeria soon, would prevent stolen artefacts from the country from
getting to the US.

He added that talks are also ongoing on returning illegally
trafficked artefacts from Nigeria that are currently housed in
private museums in the US.

“We agree on the final draft of the MoU, which will be ready
after vetting by our Ministry of Justice, and anytime soon, there
will be a signing ceremony in Nigeria,” the minister said.

“The agreement is to prevent artefacts and cultural property
that people want to illicitly ship to the U.S.

“In addition to artefact, the agreement also extends to illicit
drug trafficking, and the FBI is involved.

“They have invited us, and the National Commission for Museum
and Monument is working hard on this.

“In particular, there are about two or three private collectors
who had voluntarily surrendered the artefacts which they believed
were either illegally trafficked or stolen from Nigeria.”

The news comes barely a month after Nigeria reclaimed 1,130
Benin bronzes that were looted in the 19th century and domiciled in
German museums.

The federal government and the US have agreed to a bilateral
agreement prohibiting illicit trafficking of cultural property and
historical artefacts.

According to NAN, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and
culture, disclosed the development after meeting with Mathew
Lussenhop, US acting assistant secretary of state on education and
culture, in Washington DC.

The minister said the agreement, which would be signed in
Nigeria soon, would prevent stolen artefacts from the country from
getting to the US.

He added that talks are also ongoing on returning illegally
trafficked artefacts from Nigeria that are currently housed in
private museums in the US.

“We agree on the final draft of the MoU, which will be ready
after vetting by our Ministry of Justice, and anytime soon, there
will be a signing ceremony in Nigeria,” the minister said.

“The agreement is to prevent artefacts and cultural property
that people want to illicitly ship to the U.S.

“In addition to artefact, the agreement also extends to illicit
drug trafficking, and the FBI is involved.

“They have invited us, and the National Commission for Museum
and Monument is working hard on this.

“In particular, there are about two or three private collectors
who had voluntarily surrendered the artefacts which they believed
were either illegally trafficked or stolen from Nigeria.”

The news comes barely a month after Nigeria reclaimed 1,130
Benin bronzes that were looted in the 19th century and domiciled in
German museums.