The survivor of Boko Haram’s Tuesday attack on Fanduma Koloram, in the Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State told the State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday that the insurgents pretended to be Islamic religious crusaders, collected arms from herders and killed 81 persons. The survivor, who said he called for help from neighbouring village to bury 31 of the 81 victims of the attack in a mass grave, told the governor that apart from the 81 persons left dead, 13 were injured, while seven others were abducted in the Tuesday’s attack. He said, “The insurgents disguised as if they had come to enlighten the community, disarmed the herders and shot all of them, including the underaged, and even their animals. They abducted seven people.” Zulum, who was annoyed, urged the military to begin a final onslaught that should put an end to the insurgents in the shore of the Lake Chad. Meanwhile, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), described the attack as shocking. A statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the killings as one of the most brutal terrorist attacks on innocent people in the North East. In condemning the incident, Buhari charged the Armed Forces to sustain their “recent string of successes against the terrorists to extract a heavy price from the attackers, and bring back all those they kidnapped as well as the large number of cattle rustled.”

The Federal Government has announced that only five airports will be reopened when flight operations resume on Saturday, June 21. According to a circular by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), asides the five selected airports, all others are to remain closed for further assessment. The memo further revealed that Nigeria’s airspace remains closed to international flights. The domestic airports that will be opened include Omagwa International Airport Port Harcourt, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano. Other airports are expected to be gradually added to the network after review and assessment. Below is the full communique sent out by the NCAA, regarding flight restrictions. OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR – GENERAL ALL OPERATORS LETTER (DG 016/20) Ref: NCAA /DG/AIR/11/16/121 Date: 1st June 2020 To: ALL DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN OPERATORS FROM : NIGERIAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY ATTN: ACCOUNTABLE MANAGER/ COUNTRY MANAGER SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CLARIFICATION ON FLIGHT RESTRICTION DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Our letter Ref. No :NCAA /DG/AIR/11/16/117 dated 6th May 2020 with respect to restriction of flights. Following the announcement by President Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on the easing of and the start of second phase on the COVID-19 lockdown , we wish to inform the industry of the following: 1. The closure of Nigerian airports to domestic flights has been extended to 2300Z on the 20th June 2020. The gradual start of domestic flight operations will commence on 21st June 2020 with Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano, Omagwa International Airport, Port Harcourt and Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri. Other airports will be gradually added to the network after a review and assessment. 2. All flights to any airport outside the above five listed airports above shall comply with the existing COVID- 19 protocols for approvals. 3. The closure of Nigerian airports to international flights will continue until a date of resumption is announced. 4. Emergency and essentials flights are exempted from this restriction and shall comply with the existing COVID-19 protocols for approvals. Please be guided accordingly. Signed By: Captain Musa S. Nuhu Director-General/CEO

Barely a week after the rape and gruesome murder of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a student of University of Benin, Edo State, another young female student named Barakat Bello has been raped and stabbed to death in Ibadan, Oyo State, by yet to be identified persons. Information gathered that the 19-year-old student of Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training, Ibadan, was attacked and killed while in her parents’ house in the Akinyele area of Ibadan on Monday evening. Father of the deceased, Kasimu Elepo, who spoke with sahara reporters said that he was not at home when the incident occurred. Barakat Bello He disclosed that the deceased's sister was also out of the house at the time the tragic incident occurred. According to him, the victim’s sister found Barakat’s body at the back of the house in a pool of her blood when she returned from Quaranic lessons that fateful day. He said, “I was not at home when the incident happened. The younger sister was not at home too, she went for Quaranic lessons but when she returned home, she saw her at the back of the house with deep cuts all over her body. She had been raped and killed. “Somebody called me on the phone that I should come home but he refused to tell me what happened. When I got home, I saw that my daughter had been raped and stabbed to death.” Elepo, who could not contain his emotions, revealed that the police in the area had begun an investigation into the matter.

Nigerian music star, Innocent Idibia (a.k.a 2face), has called for adequate protection of the girl-child against defilement and other forms of violence. The musician, who decried the increase in defilement in the country, took to his Instagram page @official2baba to express how sad he felt about the situation. He said that every perpetrator of the act should be brought to book. The music star also called for justice for one Jennifer, who was allegedly gang-raped by five boys in Narayi, Kaduna State. “There are evil people among us, and they must be brought to book. “The girl-child must be safe, whether she is standing at the bus stop or in the church. ” Justice must be served,” he wrote. Idibia, a singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur, is one of the most decorated and successful Afro pop artistes in Africa. His awards include MTV Europe Music Award, World Music Award, five Headies Awards (Hip-hop award) and BET Award for his musical work.(NAN)

Just in: 2016 death of black Frenchman sparks protest in Paris Over 19,000 people demonstrated in Paris on Tuesday evening, calling for justice over the death of black Frenchman, Adama Traore, in police custody in 2016, according to a police source quoted by BFM television. The demonstrators started gathering in the late afternoon in front of the Paris Court near the ring road in the north of the capital, brandishing slogans such as “Black Lives Matter” and “I can’t breathe”, which echoed protests over the death of George Floyd, an African American, who died in police custody last week, in the United States. The rally turned violent hours later, as some demonstrators set fires and put up barricades, with the traffic of the section of the ring road blocked. Traore lost consciousness in a police vehicle and died at a police station in July 2016 after he was arrested for a dispute over an identity check, according to French media, with many reports pointing out that the man had no previous criminal record. His family said he died from asphyxiation from police tactics. On Tuesday morning, Paris Police announced that the demonstration was not authorised, as public gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The cause of death of the legendary Nigerian reggae musician, Majek Fashek has been uncovered. His death was confirmed by his manager Omenka Uzoma, in a post on Instagram on Tuesday morning. According to him, Fashek died around 11.45 pm June 1, 2020, Nigerian tim “It is true that the African legendary icon has gone to be with the Lord his maker,” Omenka said. “I would say we should celebrate his achievements, he has done a lot for Nigeria and for Nigeria. Whatever the family decides, I will get to you. This is all I have to say for now.” Contrary to belief in some quarters, Majek Fashek did not die from the use of drugs. News has now gathered that the legendary Reggae star who died in New York on June 1 died after battling cancer for almost a year. His manager also confirmed the singer died in New York, not in London. Explaining this, Uzoma noted that the singer was advised by his doctors to move closer to his family, prompting the move to New York where his wife and three sons live. “We moved him from London to New York last September on the advice of the doctors that he should stay close to the family. Majek reunited with his family last year after 10 years of separation. He died in their company, ” Uzoma said. Majek, who was born on March 7, 1963, was 57 years old when he died.

On the 1st of June 2020, 416 new confirmed cases and 12 deaths were recorded in Nigeria No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours. Till date, 10578 cases have been confirmed, 3122 cases have been discharged and 299 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory The 416 new cases are reported from 20 states - Lagos (192), Edo (41), Rivers (33), Kaduna (30), Kwara (23), Nasarawa (18), Borno (17), FCT (14), Oyo (10), Katsina (7), Abia (5), Delta (5), Adamawa (4), Kano (4), Imo (3), Ondo (3), Benue(2), Bauchi(2), Ogun (2), Niger (1)

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has reacted to the alleged rape and murder of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level Microbiology student of University of Benin, UNIBEN. It was learnt that Uwaila, who was a 100-level Microbiology student of UNIBEN, was allegedly raped and killed by some unknown persons while reading in a Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, in Benin City. Her death has since stirred reactions from Nigerians on social media seeking justice for her. Reacting, Adeboye on his verified Twitter page commiserated with the family of Uwa even as he called for calm. He condemned the act, adding that the church has began investigation into the case and would cooperate with the Nigeria Police to get justice for the victim. His tweet read: “All I can do at this time is to pray for the family of Omozuwa and do everything possible working with relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators to book. “I and members of my Family condemn this act strongly and urge everyone to stay calm as we are already looking into the matter and cooperating with the police to establish the facts of the shocking incident. #justiceforuwa,” https://twitter.com/PastorEAAdeboye/status/1267188772816510981?s=20