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Benin Monarch Takes Custody Of 18 Looted Artefacts Repatriated From Switzerland

Published

3 months ago

July 3, 2026

Editor

The Oba of Benin, has taken custody of 18 Benin artefacts repatriated from Switzerland, describing the cultural and royal objects as more than items of curiosity, but enduring records of governance, spirituality and the artistic heritage of the Benin people that were taken by force.

Among the returned objects is an ancestral head of a Benin Oba, looted during the 1897 British Punitive Expedition against the Benin Royal Court in present-day Edo State, southern Nigeria.

Receiving the artefacts from a Swiss delegation led by the Director-General of the, the Oba said: “The Benin Bronzes are not objects of curiosity. They are records of governance, spirituality and the artistry of the Edo people, taken by force. To delay their return is to continue dispossession by other means.”

Oba Ewuare II disclosed that the Benin Royal Court has received more than 150 original looted Benin cultural objects since he ascended the throne of his forebears.

According to the monarch, efforts to recover the looted artefacts began during the reign of his grandfather.

He noted that his father received the first batch of repatriated Benin artefacts after had rebuilt the Benin Royal Palace, which was destroyed during the British invasion.

The Oba called on the German Government to honour the 2022 agreement it voluntarily entered into with the Nigerian Government to return more than 1,000 Benin artworks.

He also urged museums in other countries that still possess looted Benin artefacts to address what he described as the colonial injustice against the cultural identity and heritage of the Benin people.

The traditional ruler commended former Nigerian President, the late , and President for their commitment to Nigeria’s cultural sovereignty and their support for the repatriation of looted artefacts.

In a rare display of emotion, Oba Ewuare II danced around the returned cultural objects and praised the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and its Director-General, Olugbile Holloway, for their steadfast efforts in securing the return of the looted artefacts.

Earlier, Holloway congratulated the Oba during the symbolic presentation of the artworks and thanked him for the confidence reposed in the commission.

He said: “I must say at this point that Switzerland, throughout the entire process, was extremely cooperative and transparent. It did everything within its power to ensure that this day came sooner rather than later.

“Today (Thursday), we have brought a total of 18 objects. Your Royal Majesty, as we promised, we are committed to returning these artefacts.

“The issue of ownership has long been settled. It is our hope that the National Commission for Museums and Monuments will continue to earn the trust of Your Royal Majesty.”

Also speaking, the Consul-General of the Swiss Embassy in Nigeria, , expressed appreciation to the Oba of Benin and the governments of Nigeria and Switzerland for the historic return of the artworks, describing it as a symbol of stronger cooperation and better things to come.

A director from one of the museums in Switzerland, commended Oba Ewuare II for setting the restitution process on the right path when discussions began in 2021.

News

Group Commends COREN For Training Engineers In Engineering Failure, Forensic Investigation In Nigeria

Published

3 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Editor

Foundation for the Development of Shira Community (FODESCO) in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi state has commended the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) for conducting a pioneer training on Engineering Failure and Forensic Investigation (EFFI) for 50 licensed engineering practitioners across the country.

Engr. Shehu Wakili, the Chairman of the Foundation made the commendation in an interview with newsmen on Friday.

According to him, the training which was conducted by COREN in collaboration with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) and the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN), was to equip engineers and professionals from academia, industry, and government MDAs with practical skills to investigate infrastructure failures and prevent recurring building collapses.

He added that the training was also to build a pool of trained specialists who could investigate building collapses and other engineering failures, determine their root causes, and recommend measures to prevent recurrence, saying that the trainees would form part of a register of trained and certified forensic engineering investigators.

He further lauded COREN for the subsequent induction of its member, Engr. Abdullahi Muhammad MNSE, who among the 50 participants, hails from Bauchi state as a Chartered Engineering Forensic and Failure Investigator (CEFFI), certified by CIFCFIN.

“FODESCO is proud of him and wishes him well in all his endeavours”, he prayed.

Wakili, also the Chairman, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Bauchi state chapter, revealed that the training covered failure analysis, forensic investigation methodologies, risk assessment, and professional reporting.

“This initiative supports broader efforts by COREN and the National Assembly to enforce stricter building codes, identify quackery, and ensure accountability across the construction sector,” he said.

News

NBS: Lagos, Rivers, Enugu Top List As States Generated N5.15trn In 2025

Published

3 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Editor

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that 36 states and the FCT generated a total of ₦5.15 trillion in 2025, indicating a growth rate of 40.93 percent from ₦3.65 trillion recorded in 2024.

NBS stated on Thursday citing the Nigeria Revenue Service ( NRS) as source of its information that Lagos emerged top on the list of states with the highest revenue generation in the sum of ₦1.77 trillion.

“Followed by Rivers state ₦428.42 billion and Enugu with IGR record of ₦406.77 billion in the period referenced.”

The. Bureau said Yobe, Ebonyi and Sokoto states reported the least revenues with ₦16.01 billion, ₦17.18 billion and ₦20.48 billion, respectively.

According to NBS, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) was the most tax revenue recorded during the period, valued at ₦2.64 trillion, representing 69.51 percent of the total tax revenue collected, while capital gains tax was the least with ₦12.40 billion while the share of total tax revenue to total IGR was 73.64 percent nationally.

“Other states and their share of IGR are FCT – N356.34 billion, Ogun – N252.36 billion, Delta – N202.49 billion, Edo – N132.21 billion, Oyo – N103.25 billion and Kano – N102.26 billion.

“Ten other states in lowest category of IGR include Yobe – N16.01 billion, Ebonyi – N17.18 billion, Sokoto – N20.48 billion, Taraba – N28.16 billion ; Benue – N29.57 billion, Zamfara – N30.07 billion, Kebbi – N31.23 billion, Nasarawa – N32.57 billion, Adamawa – N33.76 billion andcBorno – N36.36 billion “.

NBS noted that the states generated their most and least revenue from taxes and other government sources. “PAYE was the dominant revenue source nationally, generating N2.64 trillion and accounting for 69.51% of total tax revenue for the year.

“Other sources included direct assessment, road taxes, stamp duties, withholding taxes and capital gains tax, which was the smallest contributor at N12.40 billion,” the Bureau stated.

News

Osun Police Arrest Suspect In Emir Ajagungbade’s Murder Probe

Published

3 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Editor

The Osun State Police Command has reportedly arrested Waliyi Adejare, popularly known as Jay Jay, at Oke Baale area of Osogbo, Osun State, as part of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Lekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade.

Adejare was reportedly taken into police custody on Thursday. Sources familiar with the development described him as one of the suspects being investigated in connection with the killing, which occurred amid the crisis that has continued to trail activities around motor parks in Osun State.

However, the police have cautioned against conclusively linking the suspect to the murder at this stage, stressing that investigations into both his arrest and the killing are still ongoing.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun State, Abiodun Ojelabi, who confirmed the arrest, said it was too early to establish whether Adejare was arrested specifically in connection with the murder of Emir.

Ojelabi said the command was still conducting a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s arrest and determine whether or not he had any connection with the killing.

According to him, the police would make their findings public after the completion of the investigation, urging members of the public to await the outcome of the ongoing process rather than relying on unverified claims concerning the suspect.

Reliable information obtained on the development indicated that Adejare, also known as Jay Jay, was apprehended in the Oke Baale area of Osogbo during an operation by the police on Thursday.

Sources also alleged that Adejare had previously served in the Nigerian Navy before reportedly leaving the service and subsequently becoming associated with individuals suspected of criminal activities in Osogbo and its environs.

The latest arrest comes against the backdrop of heightened security attention following the killing of Emir, which triggered renewed concerns over violence and rival interests surrounding motor park operations in the state.

Following the incident, the state government announced measures affecting the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, while the police commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killing and other developments arising from the crisis.