The Benin Bronzes, taken from what is now Nigeria, have become a symbol in the effort to return looted artifacts to their home countries.

Western museums are returning the Benin Bronzes — priceless items looted during colonialism — to Nigeria, but political infighting has jeopardized the ability to display and maintain the masterpieces. Our reporter, Alex Marshall, traveled to Nigeria to see some of the Bronzes.

The government presents its migrant policy as a welcoming alternative to U.S. crackdowns. But activists say those arriving on boats from Africa are excluded from that embrace.

© Michael Robinson Chávez for The New York Times