ARAN condemned the Federal Government’s failure to honor its financial obligations to the group, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally intervene in the matter and ensure that the debt is paid promptly, warning that further delays could cripple efforts to recover looted artifacts, especially as international interest in restitution and repatriation of cultural properties continues to rise.
The Artifacts Rescuers Association of Nigeria (ARAN) has decried what it described as persistent neglect and betrayal of trust by the Federal Government over an unpaid debt amounting to N1.5 billion, a backlog that dates back more than a decade.
The association made this known during a press conference held in Abuja on World Museum Day, a globally recognized event dedicated to promoting the importance of museums in preserving culture and heritage.
ARAN is a body of government-accredited vendors tasked with the critical responsibility of locating, retrieving, and returning Nigerian artifacts that have been stolen, smuggled, or illicitly traded—often beyond the country’s borders. These artifacts, many of which are of historical, cultural, and spiritual significance, represent the tangible legacy of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups and civilizations.
At the press briefing, the former president of the association, Mr. George Agbo, condemned the Federal Government’s failure to honor its financial obligations to the group, despite ARAN’s vital contributions to the preservation of national heritage.
According to him, the debt of N1.5 billion is related to the recovery of over 3,000 cultural artifacts that have been tracked down, rescued, and officially handed over to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) since 2010.
“This situation can best be described as a tale of forgotten ambassadors,” Agbo said. “We are Nigerians who have risked our safety, invested our time and resources, and even gone into dangerous territories to retrieve artifacts that should have never left our shores. Yet, the government has chosen to ignore our sacrifice and contribution to nation-building.”
He further lamented that the association’s members are now in a precarious financial position, with many of them unable to sustain their operations due to the government’s prolonged non-payment. He emphasized that this has led to reduced morale, hindered ongoing artifact rescue efforts, and raised serious concerns about the government’s commitment to cultural preservation and heritage protection.
“This neglect has not only jeopardized our operations,” ARAN noted in a prepared statement, “but has also cast doubts on the sincerity and effectiveness of national policies on cultural heritage preservation.”
The group has therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally intervene in the matter and ensure that the debt is paid promptly, warning that further delays could cripple efforts to recover looted artifacts, especially as international interest in restitution and repatriation of cultural properties continues to rise.
ARAN stressed that Nigeria, like many post-colonial societies, continues to battle the legacy of cultural plunder, and that the work of its members remains indispensable in reversing centuries of heritage loss. They urged the government to treat the matter not as a transactional issue, but as a national priority tied to identity, history, and international prestige.
With Nigeria currently engaged in diplomatic discussions to repatriate numerous artifacts from foreign institutions, ARAN’s revelations serve as a stark reminder that domestic efforts to rescue and preserve cultural assets must be equally valued, recognized, and supported.