The Netherlands said Wednesday it was returning more than 100 “Benin Bronzes” to Nigeria that British troops looted in the late 19th century and ended up in a Dutch museum.
The European country stated this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the move followed a request by the Nigerian government.
Of the 119 objects being returned, 113 of them were among the Dutch State Collection, while the remaining six were returned by the Municipality of Rotterdam.
The signing ceremony took place at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, the Netherlands, where the Benin bronzes were previously displayed.
The 113 pieces are the biggest haul returned to Nigeria from the 1897 raid, said Olugbile Holloway, Director General of the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
“At the request of Nigeria, the Netherlands is returning 113 ‘Benin Bronzes’ from the National Collection. Minister Eppo Bruins (OCW) has decided to return them,” the statement read.
According to the statement, the transfer agreement will be signed on Wednesday by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture, and Science, Eppo Bruins, and the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway.
A statement by Anneloes Hoff of the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands said the artefacts are expected to arrive later this year, according to the agreement.
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The statement reads: “The Netherlands will return 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, following a request from the Nigerian government. The transfer agreements were signed today by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science and the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
“The objects are expected to arrive in Nigeria later this year. The restitution underscores the strong partnership between The Netherlands and Nigeria.
“With this return, we are contributing to the redress of a historical injustice that is still felt today,” said Dutch Culture, Education, and Science Minister Eppo Bruins.
The Netherlands’ return of these artefacts follows similar ones by other countries, such as Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
British soldiers stole the ancient sculptures, including depictions of royal figures and animals, in 1897 from the Kingdom of Benin in modern-day Nigeria.
However, the British Museum in London has refused to return any of its famed collection. A law passed in 1963 technically prevents the museum from giving back the treasures.
The treasures were then sold and had been displayed at the Wereldmuseum (World Museum) in Leiden.