TODAY IN HISTORY

• 2017 - Nigeria

After many months of dillydallying, Pres. Muhammadu Buhari sacked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal, and Director-general, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke. • Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-ita, in a leaked memo said Pres. Buhari was aware of the reinstatement of ex-chairman of Pension Reforms Commission, Abdulrasheed Maina, into the civil service.

• 2016 - Nigeria

A 26-year-old man, Tunde Agbaje, trekked from Ketu, Lagos to Zaria in Kaduna for lover, Sharon Donald, daughter of a former governor. Agbaje, who is the cousin of Jimi Agbaje, went on the adventure to prove his love for Sharon. Both had met in Ikoyi and had been friends for the past six years, but she had turned down his marriage proposal several times. He spent 19 days on the road.

• 2016 - USA

The race for the White House was jolted when FBI Director James Comey notified congressional leaders that the agency was investigating more emails as part of its probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email system.

• 2014 - UK

Britain’s first national sperm bank opened to the public in Birmingham.

• 2012 - Canada

Will Ferguson, humorist, travel writer and novelist, won Canada's most prestigious and lucrative literary prize. He had penned ‘419’, a fictional tale about the inner workings of Nigerian email scams.

• 2007 - Nigeria

Patricia Etteh, House of Representatives Speaker resigned. A panel's report found Etteh did not follow due process in awarding contracts worth million dollars to equip and renovate her official residence and that of her deputy.

• 2006 - Nigeria

Nigeria and China signed an $8.3 billion contract for construction of a railway line from Lagos to Kano, the largest commercial city in the north.

• 1978 - Uganda

Uganda troops under Idi Amin attacked Tanzania and went on to annex a section of Tanzania. Pres. Nyerere sent soldiers and Ugandan exile volunteers to push back Amin's forces.

• 1974 - Zaire

The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman took place in Kinshasa, Zaire.