On This Day

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Recap of important historical events

On This Day: The Death of Uday and Qusay, Saddam Hussein’s Sons

Today in history (2003), Uday Hussein was killed alongside Qusay Hussein and his nephew Mustafa, by an American task force (United States-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 ) after a prolonged gunfight in Mosul. 

On This Day: Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya Sentenced for Treason

Today in history (1998), Gen. Malu’s Tribunal sentenced Gen. Diya and others to death.

On This Day: The First Nylon Bristle Toothbrush Was Manufactured.

The invention of nylon bristles allowed for simpler, cheaper mass-production of a toothbrush less likely to harbor and grow harmful bacteria than the traditional animal bristle brush.

On This Day: The Execution of Anini and His Gang

Today in history (1987), Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini was executed with Monday Osunbor, Solomon Osemwemkhai, Johnbull Ahunwan, Moses Idahosa, Philip Iwebelua, Benard Obi, Friday Ukponwan and George Iyamu, the police DSP who aided their operations.

On This Day: EFCC Arrests Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun

On March 28, 2005, Tafa Balogun, former Inspector-General of Police was arrested by Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions.

On This Day: The Murder of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia

King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was shot point-blank and killed by Faisal bin Musaid, son of his half-brother.

On This Day: Vincent Alfred Simmons’ Birthday.

On This Day: 1952 Vincent Alfred Simmons was born. He was a life prisoner at Angola State Prison in Louisiana, where he was sentenced to 100 years in July 1977 after being convicted of attempted aggravated rapes of 14-year-old twin sisters Karen and Sharon Sanders of Marksville. Simmons has maintained his innocence throughout.

On This Day: The Birth of the World’s Most Feared Terrorist

Under Bin Laden's leadership, al-Qaeda was responsible for the September 11 attacks in the United States, and many other mass-casualty attacks worldwide. 

On This Day: Murtala Mohammed Was Killed.

Nigerian Head of State Murtala Ramat Mohammed, aged 37 was killed along with his Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa while driving a black Mercedes Benz saloon car, in an abortive coup attempt led by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka.

On This Day: The Deadliest DC-10 Crash in 1974

On this day in history, DC-10 jet crashed into a forest outside of Paris, France, killing all 346 people on board. The poor design of the plane, as well as negligent maintenance, contributed to the disaster.

On This Day: Francis Agu Was Born.

On This Day: 1965 Francis Agu was born in Lagos to the Catholic family of Fidelis and Virginia Agu from Enugu-Ngwo, Enugu State. He was a Nigerian TV and cinema ("Nollywood") actor. Francis was best known for his role in Living in Bondage and the long-running Nigerian television series Checkmate.

On This Day: Didier Drogba, Football Prodigy, was Born

Didier Drogba is an Ivorian retired professional footballer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team. He is best known for his career at Chelsea, where he has scored more goals than any other foreign player .

On This Day: The Official Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope to relinquish the office since Gregory XII was forced to resign in 1415 to end the Western Schism, and the first pope to voluntarily resign since Celestine V in 1294.

On This Day: Alexander Graham Bell Received Patent for his Revolutionary Invention

On this day, the 29-year-old Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his revolutionary new invention: the telephone.

On This Day: The downfall of serial kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro

Today in history (2013), three women were rescued from a Cleveland, Ohio, house where they had been imprisoned for many years by their abductor Ariel Castro.

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