Newscast - Africa

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, urged Nigerians to be patient with regards to the issue of naming financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.
The justice minister assured Nigerians that in a couple of weeks, the citizens will get something tangible to hold on to.
The minister explained that the prosecution of those involved is a work in progress, one that cannot be categorized as to the time of conclusion.
He stressed that Proof of evidence will have to be developed, and then the prosecution will take place adding that there is nothing hidden; as far as prosecution is concerned, it is traditionally a public prosecution, nothing will be hidden both in terms of names, associated facts, and circumstances.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund has lamented over the rising cases of Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria.
The international agency says Nigeria accounts for the third-highest global number of FGM with a ‘worrying trend’ which has risen from 16.9 per cent in 2013 to 19.2 per cent.
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins says female genital mutilation remains widespread in Nigeria. With an estimated 19.9 million survivors, Nigeria accounts for the third-highest number of women and girls who have undergone FGM worldwide.
He stressed that the case is prevalent among Nigerian girls aged 0-14 and an estimated 86 percent of females were cut before the age of 5, while 8 percent were cut between ages 5 and 14.

Iran’s foreign minister says the US decision to restore sanctions waiver on the civil nuclear programme was good but not enough as indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to revive the 2015 nuclear deal entered the final stretch.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian says that one of the main issues in the nuclear talks is obtaining guarantees that the US will not withdraw from the 2015 deal again.
Amirabdollahian reiterated that they seek and demand guarantees in the political, legal and economic sectors adding that agreements have been reached in some areas.

Indonesia’s economic growth accelerated in the final quarter of last year following the easing of anti-virus mobility restrictions and record-high exports, driven by stronger commodity prices.
Southeast Asia’s largest economy grew 5.02 per cent on a yearly basis in the October-December quarter, compared with 3.51 per cent growth in the previous quarter, data from Statistics Indonesia showed on Monday.
A Reuters news agency poll had expected fourth-quarter growth of 4.90 per cent.
Margo Yuwono, head of Statistics Indonesia noted that high prices of Indonesia’s main commodities, such as palm oil, coal and nickel, had driven exports in the October-December quarter.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that Australia will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated tourists from February 21 ending some of the world’s strictest and longest-running pandemic travel restrictions.
Australia shut its borders in March 2020 to protect itself against a surging COVID-19 pandemic.
Australians have been barred from leaving and only a handful of visitors have been granted exemptions to enter.
The International Air Transport Association says it greatly welcomed the decision.

President Kais Saied has dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council.
He says the body that deals with judicial independence has become a thing of the past.
Saied had earlier plunged Tunisia into a constitutional crisis when he suspended the country's parliament, dismissed the sitting prime minister and granted himself executive powers.
The Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties warned against the autocratic drift of Saied, denouncing a concentration of powers in his hands under the guise of a people's revolution.

The government of Botswana has amended a proposed surveillance law that triggered widespread protests from domestic and regional media organisations. The amendments reinstate judicial oversight over surveillance, interceptions and seizures and criminalise abuse of the government's surveillance powers.
News of the amendments came after a coalition of organisations representing journalists across Southern Africa met in the capital, Gaborone, at the invitation of the Botswana Editors' Forum.
The journalists say the law would have threatened the work of journalists and freedom of expression.

Germany's defence minister has suggested it's unlikely that the country will be able to maintain its troops in Mali, as tension grows between the military rulers there and international partners.
Christine Lambrecht says she had the impression that German soldiers were no longer welcome in Mali where they've been helping in the fight against jihadists.
Germany has around 1,200 soldiers there as part of a counter-terrorism and peacekeeping mission.
She says It's a further sign that the international - French-led - counter-terrorism operation there is at risk of falling apart.

The African Union has condemned a recent wave of military coups that has seen an unprecedented number of member states suspended from the bloc.
The putsches were among the main issues expected to be discussed at the summit, along with the AU’s ties to Israel and its response to a grinding war in the north of host country Ethiopia.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, denounced a worrying resurgence of such military coups.
The AU has however been accused of an inconsistent response, notably by not suspending Chad after a military council took over following the death of longtime President Idriss Deby Itno on the battlefield last April.
Analysts say the body must be more proactive to prevent putsches.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued an advisory to all Nigerians resident in Ukraine following a looming war with the threat of a Russian invasion of the country amid counter moves by Western powers led by the United States to forestall alleged Russian intentions.
Mr Gabriel Odu of the media, public relations and protocol unit of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission says Nigerian citizens living in Ukraine were urged to remain calm and be security conscious following recent happenings and tensions generated between Ukraine and Russia.
Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa gave assurances that the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev saying Ukraine is doing all it can for the safety and Security of all Diaspora Nigerians in that country.