A destroyed refinery By Favour Ifeoluwa & Akinola Ajibade The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited( NNPCL) says it has destroyed 134 illegal refineries in the last few weeks. Also, the company said 63 illegal pipeline connections were uncovered during the the weeks . The corporation, In a visual report, stated that at about 2 am on Sunday, a joint team of security agents discovered a large wooden boat illicitly loading stolen crude oil from Barge AGS01 within the OML 18 operating area, noted intelligence report a large wooden wooden boat was caught receiving crude oil from the barge. According to the state-owned oil firm, while the barge was towed away with a tugboat in custody, five speedboats used in towing the large wooden boat to the illegal loading site were also detained and the particulars of the tugboats and barge used for the operation were reportedly seized for further investigation. It further said that two large boats, which involve
By Akinola Ajibade
The Minister of State for Culture, the Federal Republic of Germany, Claudia Roth says her country has committed gross injustice by taking Nigeia's artefacts away several years ago..
She said that Germany has closed her eyes on the issue for too long, by refusing to release bronze and other historical works to Nigeria, adding that her country is making history today by returning them.
She stated that every nation has the the right to experience her heritage from generation to generation, a development, which according to her made Germany to return traditional and historical works to Nigeria.
She spoke in Abuja during the official handover of 22 repatriated Benin Bronzes by Germany to Nigeria recently.
According to her, the issue of returning the artefacts to Nigeria marks this first phase of projects, stressing other phases would follow soon as the German authorities still have the rights to displace those Benin Bronzes on loan in German Museum and bring them back to Nigeria.
Similarly, the German's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock,emphasized her country’s desire to return the Bronze to Nigeria.
She said:”We are here to right the wrong. It was a wrong to have taken them and it is wrong to have kept them for this long, our country is here to right the wrong”
She said her country still has more than 500 artifacts and they are ready to return them in phases.
Speaking at the event, Nigeria's Minister of Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, implored other nations, institutions, museums and private collectors still holding on to Nigerian antiquities to release them.
Mohammed, who incidentally hosted the enbos from Germany, specifically advised British Museum to release the more than 900 Benin Bronzes in its custody.
He said :”A year has rolled by since Nigeria
submitted an official letter to the British Museum demanding the return of Nigerian antiquities in this museum. Yet there has been no reply of any kind”.
Continuing further, Mohammed said that Nigeria is not only seeking the return of Benin Bronzes but all Nigerian antiquities that were illegally or illicitly exported.
He said: “I visited in July this year hoping that the success recorded with the Germans will nudge the British Museum to do what is right. But I met a brick wall. The British Museum and all those holding on to our artefacts must understand that repatriation is a cause which time has come. They must also understand that many of these cultural objects are not mere art to us but the true essence of our being. They are not mere decorative works but our culture and heritage. They belong here, not anywhere else!
“A moment comes in the history of mankind that we are beckoned upon to do what is right. This moment beckoned and Germany seized it. Forever, Nigeria, Africa and indeed all of humanity, will remember and always cherish this period in human history when Germany stood by us.
“When Germany mooted and announced the idea of returning Nigerian Benin Bronzes, the entire globe treated the news with disbelief. However, Germany did not stop at a mere announcement but followed up with a visit to Nigeria by high ranking officials in March 2021 to further assure us.Because of what Germany has done, negotiations with other nations, institutions and museums for repatriation of the Benin Bronzes in their possession became swifter.
“Subsequent meetings by Nigeria with Germany were on modalities, and the Germans were gracious throughout. Finally, on July 7, 2022,with the eyes of the whole world glued to their television screens,Germany signed the declaration with Nigeria to release all 1,130 Benin Bronzes in Germany public museums, he added.
Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said 300 million people lives have been impacted with the kind gesture by the German government, saying, they have set the space for other to follow.
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