2015 Event Nigerian troops rescue 93 women and 200 girls from Boko Haram encampments in the Sambisa Forest; the 'Chibok girls', kidnapped by the militants last year and taken into the forest, were not among those rescued 2014 Event 27 hostages have been freed in Cameroon, including the wife of vice prime minister Amadou Ali and a group of Chinese workers; Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram is suspected to be responsible 2014 Event Mohammed Zakari, a leader of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, has been arrested by Nigerian police; Boko Haram is implicated in hundreds of deaths and kidnappings, and Zakari is wanted for the recent killings of seven people 2014 Event The Nigerian government announces that it has located the 270-plus girls abducted by terrorist group Boko Haram, but it cannot rescue the girls yet due to fears that the abductors will kill them if the military attempts a direct confrontation 2014 Event Pope Francis gives Easter Mass in St. Peter's square; his message included prayer for peace in Syria and Ukraine, a halt to Boko Haram attacks against Nigerian Christians, and for all to care for the hungry and the needy 2014 Event U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticizes Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, for legislation he signed last week to ban same-sex marriage and criminalize gay rights groups and their activities; the law includes penalties of up to 14 years imprisonment 2013 Event In Lagos, a funeral processional greets the body of Nigerian Chinua Achebe, author of the novel, 'Things Fall Apart' 2011 Event The 'underwear bomber', Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, pleads guilty to attempting to blow up an airplane on Christmas, 2009 2011 Event The Nigerian senate reschedules elections by changing the country's constitution 2003 Death Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian Musician 1993 Event Nigerian presidential election 1993 Event Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested again on suspicion of murder 1993 Event Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested on suspicion of murder 1992 Event Nigerian Hercules C-130 crashes at Lagos, 163 die 1991 Event Nigerian DC-8 crashes near Saudi-Arabia, 261 die 1984 Event Nigerian singer Fela Kuti sentenced to 2 years 1969 Birthday Ben Iroha, born in Aba, Nigeria, professional soccer player, played for the Nigerian national team, head coach, Nigeria's Dolphins FC 1968 Event Nigerian troops conquer Aba Biafra 1967 Event Biafran offensive against Nigerian army 1967 Event Biafran War erupts as Nigerian forces invade 1960 Birthday Hugo Weaving, Nigerian Actor 1959 Birthday Ben Okri, born in London, of Nigerian descent, poet, author, won Booker Prize 1991, for book 'The Famished Road', described as a magic realist 1944 Birthday Buchi Emecheta, Nigerian/English writer, Price of Bride 1932 Birthday Francis Arinze, Nigerian Clergyman 1930 Birthday Chinua Achebe, Nigerian author, Christmas in Biafra 1930 Birthday Fela Ransome/Anikulapo Kuti, Nigerian singer/saxophonist 1927 Birthday Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian Musician
