![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")
At least 18 persons have died in a road crash which occurred on Akure road, Ondo State.
The incident which occurred today (Saturday) involved a white Toyota ‘Hummer’ vehicle and a heavy-duty truck.
Reports gathered that the accident occurred few metres away from the popular Akure Airport road on the Akure-Owo highway.
The Toyota vehicle’s – an 18-passenger bus – registration number is YLA25XU while that of the truck is GG873XM.
An eyewitness, Mr. Temitope Adeola, said both vehicles had a head-on collision.
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“The driver of the bus was coming from Abuja with speed while the driver of the truck was driving on the wrong side of the road. Before we knew it, the driver of the Toyota white bus had a collision with the truck. Immediately the two vehicles went up in flames.
“In fact, all the passengers in the vehicles were burnt into ashes and even beyond recognition,” he said.
The Ondo State Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the crash in a telephone interview.
Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide, Heads of Operations of the FRSC, said the crash occurred due to wrongful overtaking and speeding by the drivers of the vehicles.
“Yes, it is true the accident occurred at Airport road on the Akure-Owo road and it involved a truck and an Hummer bus. The crash was caused by wrongful overtaking and speeding on the side of both drivers.
“According to our investigations on the crash, the whole 18 passengers of the Hummer vehicle died in the crash. All of them were burnt beyond recognition and they were mostly all adults traveling from Abuja,” Mr. Ogungbemide.
He, however, added that the Rescue Team of FRSC had evacuated the casualties.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters learnt that the driver of the truck survived the crash.
Femi Joseph, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, who also confirmed the accident told reporters that the driver fled the scene immediately after the fatal crash.
“It happened this evening and we joined the FRSC in evacuating the burnt bodies but we learnt that the driver of the truck and his motor boy flew immediately the accident occurred,” he said.
