Last year, Mr Farmer, then 84, was awarded Germany's highest civilian honour, the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit, for his work in getting the paintings returned.

ECONOMIST: Walter Farmer

Earlier, he was awarded one of Canada's highest orders Companion of the Order of Canada and the Commander of the Order of Military Merit.

BBC: Duke of Edinburgh on three-day visit to Canada

Achebe told the BBC's Network Africa programme that he hoped that rejecting the Commander of the Federal Republic - Nigeria's second highest honour - would serve as a "wake-up call".

BBC: NEWS | Africa | 'Things fall apart' in Nigeria

Standing joint commander General Sir Nick Parker said the decision on the missiles would be taken "at the very highest political level".

BBC: London 2012: Major Olympic security test unveiled

Max A. Galeai, 42, of American Samoa, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and one of the highest-ranking American officers to die in Iraq this year.

CNN: U.N. health agency to open Baghdad headquarters