TODAY IN HISTORY

• 2017 - Nigeria

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the ill-fated Republic of Biafra, all the South-east states were totally shutdown as Igbos obeyed the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

• 23 banks received N28.7 billion executed in 460,000 transactions through the Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM) Ponzi scheme within six months, the 2016 annual report of the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NEFF) revealed. The report disclosed that by the time the scheme crashe” on December 13, 2016, over N11.9billion had been lost by subscribers.

• 2016 - Nigeria

Pres Muhammadu Buhari in glowing terms than he had used before, commended his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded defeat to him. He said but for that singular act Nigeria would have been in turmoil.

• 30 persons were killed in Onitsha, Anambra State capital, after pro-biafran protesters, celebrating the 49th anniversary of the declaration of the defunct Biafra republic, engaged soldiers in a clash.

• 2014 - S/korea

South Korean pop star, Psy and his irrepressible "Gangnam Style" became the first Youtube video to surpass two billion views.

• 2013 - Nigeria

House of Representatives voted to ban gay marriage, endorsing 14-year prison sentence for any "public show" of affection by a same-sex couple.

• 2012 - Liberia

Former Liberian pres., Charles Taylor, was sentenced by the Hague to 50 years in prison for atrocities committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War.

• 1994 - USA

Mormon Church president Ezra Taft Benson died in Salt Lake City at age 94.

• 1967 - Nigeria

Eastern Region declared independence from Nigeria as the Republic of Biafra, sparking a civil war.

• 1966 - Congo

The former Congolese Prime Minister, Évariste Kimba, and other politicians were executed in Kinshasa on the orders of President Joseph Mobutu.

• 1964 - Nigeria

Isaac Babalola Akinyele, KBE (born 18 April 1882) died. He was the first educated Olubadan of Ibadan and the second Christian to ascend the throne.

• 1889 - USA

Brassiere was invented.