Mr Ibrahim Salihu, Deputy Director Niger State Museum says lack of funds has hindered the excavation on archaeological sites.

He stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Minna.

“The Niger state museum is replete with artefacts and antiquities, but funding is the major challenge in embarking on an excavation of archaeological sites in Niger," he said.

According to Salihu, excavation of antiquities to the museum will go a long way in educating both students and tourist who visited it regularly.

He added that the museum had received 1,360 visitors in the last six months, saying that the number was expected to increase before the end of the year. ‎

“The number of students we receive monthly is appreciating as a result of research programmes undertaken by undergraduate and postgraduate students.

“Students and officials of the History Department of the University of Ilorin were the latest visitors we received in May.

“This museum is a very busy one because many universities need to study the artefacts and antiquities for their research works,“ he said.

Salihu said that aside from students, international tourist also visited the museum to learn one or two things and to appreciate the Nigerian culture.

“We recently hosted the Charge D’Affaires of Uganda‎ High Commission, Mr Nelson Ocheger and Mr Sani Abu, a Nigerian based in Canada who is also a culture promoter,” he said.‎