The Federal Government has taken possession of two Benin bronzes returned from the United States, marking another key step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to reclaim cultural treasures looted during the 1897 British invasion of the Benin Kingdom.

The Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy received a bronze relief plaque and a commemorative head from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
The artefacts were handed back by the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston.

Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, described the development as a historic achievement. She praised the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, for driving the process, adding that more repatriations are expected.

“This is a historic moment for Nigeria, the ministry, and the good people of the Benin Kingdom. We are still in conversation with several other institutions that hold these artefacts, and soon the process of returning them all to their rightful owners will begin,” she said.

Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway, thanked all parties who contributed to securing the artefacts.

He noted that the return marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s larger campaign for restitution.
“What we are witnessing today is the return of a huge part of Nigeria’s history. While this occasion is symbolic to Benin, it is also symbolic to Nigeria’s broader restitution struggle,” he stated.

The symbolic handover occurred in the presence of three high chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, according to a statement from the Minister’s Special Adviser, Nneka Anibeze.

Arts Newspapers in the US reported that the MFA in Boston returned the items during a ceremony at Nigeria House in New York in June 2025. MFA Director Matthew Teitelbaum said it was “deeply gratifying” to return the pieces to their rightful owners after 12 years in the museum’s collection.

The Benin bronzes—more than 2,000 brass and bronze artworks—were taken by British forces in 1897 and scattered across museums and private collections around the world.

Nigeria has stepped up diplomatic engagement in recent years to secure their return, signing agreements with institutions in the US, UK, and Europe.

This latest handover follows a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the United States focused on repatriating looted artefacts and improving cultural collaboration.

Officials say the development supports President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda to restore cultural heritage and promote national identity.

Reports emerged online claiming that Brigadier M. Uba, Commander of the 25 Task Force Brigade, was kidnapped and killed by the so-called terrorist group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after an ambush along the Damboa–Biu axis of Borno State on Friday, 15 November 2024.

The Nigerian Army quickly dismissed the reports, calling them false. But new statements and images released by ISWAP, supported by independent security sources, have complicated the narrative.

Army Initially Denies Kidnapping Rumours

Following the attack, the Nigerian Army issued a statement confirming that troops “came under sudden and heavy insurgent fire” during a routine patrol near the fringes of the Sambisa Forest.

Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele rejected the reports of Brigadier Uba’s abduction, describing them as a “fake narrative.”
She confirmed that two soldiers and two CJTF operatives were killed but insisted the brigade commander was safe, having survived the ambush.

ISWAP Releases Statement, Photos Claiming Execution

Contrary to the Army’s position, ISWAP released an Arabic statement through its propaganda outlet, Amaq, claiming it had captured and executed the senior officer.

The terror group published a collage showing Brigadier Uba in his office and another photo purportedly taken after his capture, with visible bloodstains on his camouflage.

In the statement, ISWAP said:
“Islamic State fighters overthrew a senior officer in the Nigerian army after a successful ambush on a military force in Borno…”

It added that the commander was intercepted after fleeing the initial firefight:
“A picture of the brigade commander from inside his office and a picture of him after he was captured by the Islamic State.”

The group also mocked the military’s earlier denial, calling it an “outright lie and a miserable security failure.”

Security Platform PRNigeria Corroborates ISWAP’s Account

PRNigeria, a platform with strong ties to security agencies, reported that the general had initially escaped the ambush with the help of an aerial operation and even contacted his superiors to confirm his safety.

However, the outlet said ISWAP fighters tracked him down after intercepting information about his location:

“Reports of his location compelled the terrorists to track him down, leading to his capture and subsequent summary execution after an interrogation,” the platform reported.

PRNigeria also described the killing as the first time ISWAP would execute an officer of such a high rank, and linked the incident to “insecure military communications” in the region.

Army Silent After ISWAP’s Publication

Despite the new claims and the release of images, the Army has issued no follow-up clarification.
Attempts by journalists to reach the spokesperson were unsuccessful:

“Calls and a message sent to Ms Anele were not responded to at the time of this report.”

Claim Remains Unverified

At this time, the circumstances surrounding Brigadier Uba’s fate remain unverified, as the army insists the commander was never abducted.

The so-called terrorist group ISWAP also claims it captured and executed him and provided images as proof.

Meanwhile, PRNigeria and other security-focused platforms have corroborated ISWAP’s account through independent sources.

At the time of filing this report, there is no updated military statement addressing the new revelations.

While ISWAP’s claims cannot yet be independently authenticated, the army’s earlier position that the commander was “safe” is now strongly in doubt.
The truth remains unclear pending official confirmation.

Armed assailants stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, on Monday, killing a teacher and abducting at least 25 students in one of the most serious school attacks in northern Nigeria in recent months.

Police said the attackers, described as a gang of armed bandits, invaded the school around 4:00 a.m. local time, engaging security personnel in a gunfight before breaching the perimeter fence and seizing students from their hostel. One staff member — Vice Principal Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku — was shot dead while attempting to protect the girls, and another member of staff sustained injuries and is receiving treatment.

Eyewitnesses reported that a large number of gunmen arrived firing sporadically, creating chaos before leading several students into nearby bushland.

Security agencies have deployed additional police tactical units, soldiers, and vigilante groups to launch a coordinated search-and-rescue operation across surrounding forests and suspected escape routes. Defense Minister Bello Mohammed Matawalle said the government has ordered an urgent response to secure the girls’ safe return.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, expressed solidarity with families of the abducted students, assuring them that the government is committed to bringing the girls home unharmed.

This abduction is the first major school kidnapping since March 2024, when more than 200 pupils were taken from Kuriga in Kaduna State. Over the past decade, northern Nigeria has faced repeated school attacks carried out by armed groups seeking ransom or leverage in dealings with authorities. While the government has banned ransom payments, the threat of kidnappings remains severe.

Children’s rights organizations say hundreds of students have been kidnapped since Boko Haram’s infamous 2014 abduction of 276 girls from Chibok. Rural schools remain particularly vulnerable, with rights groups warning that abductions often precede further abuses, including forced recruitment and sexual violence.

The attack in Maga has left families devastated as the search for the missing students intensifies.