Nigeria’s earliest inhabitants are the Nok people from around 1500 BC. The Nok peoples remains were found in what is known today as Kaduna State which is 13 hours North of Imo State. Many ancient civilization
s such as the Benin Empire, Oyo Empire, and the Bornu Empire occupied current day Nigeria. In the 15th century slave traders arrived in Nigeria to participate in the Atlantic slave trade. The first port used by European slave traders is located in present day Lagos. Lagos was colonized by the British in 1851 and after years of colonial rule was granted independence on October 1, 1960.