Netherlands Returns 119 Looted Sculptures to Nigeria

The Netherlands has returned 119 ancient Benin sculptures to Nigeria, over 120 years after they were looted during the colonial era. The artefacts, known as the Benin Bronzes, were handed over at a ceremony in Lagos. Nigeria’s museum chief, Olugbile Holloway, emphasized their cultural and spiritual importance. Four will remain in the National Museum, while the rest go to the Oba of Benin. The sculptures date back to the 16th–18th centuries and were stolen by British forces in 1897. Germany has pledged to return over 1,000 more items. Similar returns occurred in 2022 from the UK and the US.