Overview
- About 20 men, some carrying wooden bats, entered the museum courtyard during a pre-opening event and caused minor damage.
- Guests, including ambassadors and donors, sheltered inside before being escorted away to safety, and no injuries were reported.
- MOWAA suspended all preview events, asked visitors to delay travel plans, and postponed its public opening indefinitely.
- Nigeria's culture minister condemned the incident and said federal, state and security agencies are working to establish the circumstances and an appropriate response.
- The museum has become a focal point of disputes over custody of the Benin Bronzes and local political rivalries, and it no longer plans to display returned bronzes claimed by the Oba of Benin.