![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
Governor Uba Sani, the executive governor of Kaduna State, has announced the downward review of current fees in state-owned tertiary institutions.
Sani made this downward review known during a media parley with pressmen at the Government House, Kaduna, on Monday, August 21, 2023.
According to the governor, the review was part of his commitment to keeping his campaign promises to the people of Kaduna.
Sani said, “During the electioneering campaigns and on assumption of office on May 29, 2023, we made a solemn commitment to the citizens of Kaduna State to run a people-ccentred, all-inclusive administration that shall leave no one or any part of Kaduna State behind.
“In response to the public outcry over the current fees being charged by tertiary institutions in Kaduna State and their effect on school enrolment and retention, I directed Heads of Tertiary Institutions in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to obtain relevant information on the extant fee regime in state-owned tertiary institutions.”
Sani further stressed that the “downward review of the extant fee regime aligns with the Kaduna State government’s commitment to offer palliatives to cushion the effect of the general rising cost of living in the country, especially in the wake of recent petroleum subsidy removal in Nigeria.
Adding that the welfare of the people remains his administration’s topmost priority, he stated that “the Kaduna State Government shall continue to take all measures necessary to ensure access to free and qualitative education for every child in Kaduna State from primary to secondary school; expand access to higher education; enhance teachers’ welfare and teaching standards; improve school infrastructure; build ICT competence in our students from the basic education level; and intensify investments”.
Under the new fee regime, the fees have been reviewed as follows:
Kaduna State University – Current Fee: N150,000 – Reduction (%): 30% – New Fee: N105,000.
Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic – Current Fee: N100,000 – Reduction (%): 50% – New Fee: N50,000.
College of Education, Gidan Waya – Current Fee: N75,000 – Reduction (%): 50% – New Fee: N37,500.
Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences & Technology, Makarfi •HND Courses – Current Fee: N100,000 – Reduction (%): 30% -New Fee: N70.000 •ND Courses – Current Fee: N75,000 – Reduction (%): 30% – New Fee: N52,000.
Kaduna State College of Nursing – Current Fee: N100,000 – Reduction (%): 30% – New Fee: N70,000.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
