Today in Nigerian/African History; 4th May

On this day in 1928: Hosni Mubarak was born  in Kafr-El-Meslha. Upon completing high school, he joined the Egyptian Military Academy, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Military Science. He later joined the Egyptian Air force where he served in various units. He also earned a degree in Aviation Science during this period. After completing aviation training in Russia, he served as a commander at many Egyptian air force bases and installations.

He rose to the position of President of Egypt in 1981, after Anwar Sadat was assassinated. He is the longest serving Egyptian president, having held the office for 28 years. Mubarak is married and has two sons. Hosni Mubarak is also considered the most powerful Arab leader in the Middle East and is a close ally of the United States. Among his most prominent accomplishments is maintaining stability in the region, and that Egypt maintains semi-amicable relations with the Israeli state.

 Also on this day in 1978: The South African air force flew over Cassinga, allegedly a Namibian refugee camp in Southern Angola. It was the South African Defence Force’s (SADF) largest airborne operations when close to 400 paratroopers were dropped near the town of Cassinga. The airborne troops bombed the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) refugee camp and People’s Liberation Army of Namibia’s (PLAN) military base, SWAPO’s armed wing. The bombing was followed by ground forces to complete the massacre. More than 600 Namibians, mostly women and children were massacred by the SADF airborne troops, and hundreds more were injured. A United Nations (UN) delegation that visited Cassinga a few days after the tragic event reported that what the South Africans did was criminal in legal terms and savage in moral terms.

Equally on this day in 2010: Royal Dutch Shell said it spilled nearly 14,000 tons of oil into the creeks of the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, blamed thieves and militants for the environmental damage.

And on this day in 2012:  Twenty three (23) Boko Haram suspects were arrested during an attack on a police station in Banki town, Borno State in Nigeria,