The British invasion of the Kingdom of Benin, a powerful, highly organized West African state in modern-day Nigeria, begins on February 9, 1897. The operation was named the Benin Punitive Expedition and part of its objectives was to capture the Benin Oba.
The British invasion force of about 1,200 Royal Marines, sailors and Niger Coast Protectorate Forces. eventually captured Benin City on February 18, 1897 and went on to burn it, sacked the palace, looting over 2,500 bronze, ivory, and wood artifacts, which were then taken to Britain. Benin, was absorbed into the British Niger Coast Protectorate and eventually into British colonial Nigeria. More
