Aisha Umar
17 November 2009
Abuja — Foreign Affairs Minister Ojo Maduekwe weekend took delivery of two stolen Nigerian artefacts worth $55, 000 recently handed over to Nigeria by the French Customs in Toulouse, France.
The origin of the artefacts had been traced to Bakar people of Cross River State.They were reportedly smuggled into France in 2004 and are valued at $25,000 and $30,000 each.
Receiving the monoliths from the Nigerian Ambassador to France, Mr Gordon Bristol in Abuja, Chief Maduekwe said the decision to return the stolen stone to Nigeria underscored France's sensitivity to the issue of works of Arts that were illegally removed from their countries of origin.
Chief Maduekwe used the opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to value what they have, saying that Nigerians were better appreciated outside the country because of arts
Ambassador Bristol recalled that the monoliths were smuggled into Franceby a Cameroonian woman who claimed that they originated from her country and that they were not of any commercial value.
However, he said French experts concluded that the objects undoubtedly originated from Cross River State.
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