Nigeria's looted Benin bronzes returned, more than a century later

The Oba of Benin Kingdom, Oba Ewuare II receives two stolen Benin artifacts returned from England after 125 years in Benin, Nigeria February 19, 2022. REUTERS/Tife Owolabi

BENIN CITY, Nigeria (Reuters) - Two Benin bronzes were returned on Saturday to a traditional palace in Nigeria, more than a century after they were pillaged by British troops, raising hopes that thousands more artefacts could finally be returned to their ancestral home.

The artefacts, mostly in Europe, were stolen by explorers and colonizers from the once mighty Benin Kingdom, now southwestern Nigeria, and are among Africa's most significant heritage objects. They were created as early as the 16th century onwards, according to the British Museum.