France returns stolen artefacts to Nigeria.

France on Sunday night returned a
stolen artefact to Nigeria.
The about 900-year-old statute was
recovered by French customs at the
Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris from
the luggage of a man whose name was
not mentioned.
French Ambassador, Mr. Jacques
Champagne de Labriolle, handed over
the statute of Kwara origin and the
restitution documents to the Director
General of the National Council for
Museum and Monument, Dr. Abdalla
Usman, at a reception to
commemorate the French National Day
in Abuja.
Labriolle described the statue as of
great artistic and antropologic value.
He recalled that five items of Nok
origin were returned to Nigeria in
February this year by the French
government.
Speaking on bilateral issues between
Nigeria and France, the envoy
explained that the trade volume
between the two nations reached at
least $6bn annually.
"French businessmen would visit
Nigeria in October this year to access
the potentials for their business. I
have no doubt they will be interested
provided the appropriate environment
is guaranteed," he said.
Labriolle said no fewer than 200 African
troops incluing 18 from Nigeria took
part in the marching ceremony to mark
the national day in Paris on Sunday.