The Netherlands announced on Wednesday its decision to return over 100 “Benin Bronzes” to Nigeria. These artifacts were looted by British troops in the late 19th century and later acquired by a Dutch museum.
The European nation confirmed in a statement that the repatriation follows a formal request from the Nigerian government.
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.
“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.
In 1897, British soldiers looted ancient sculptures, including depictions of royal figures and animals, from the Kingdom of Benin, located in present-day Nigeria.
While many of these artifacts were sold and eventually displayed at the Wereldmuseum (World Museum) in Leiden, the British Museum in London has resisted returning its renowned collection. A 1963 law technically prohibits the museum from repatriating these treasures.