![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 "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the air components of Operations Hadin Kai and Whirl Punch in the North-East and North-Central killed several terrorists in airstrikes in Borno and Niger.
The air force disclosed this in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet, on Sunday in Abuja.
Gabkwet said the air components had continued to obliterate terrorists and destroy their structures, equipment and mobility, thereby limiting their ability to attack ground troops and innocent Nigerians at will.
In the North-East, he said the air interdiction was authorised and conducted on May 3 over Chinane, a location tucked inside the Mandara mountain.
Terrorists had been observed to be emanating from various locations and assembling ostensibly for a meeting.
According to him, seven gun trucks were also observed parked under trees within the same location.
Mr Gabkwet said the aircraft bombarded the assembly area and tree coverings and destroyed their weapons and mobility.
He said that the battle damage assessment revealed that the strikes were successful as several terrorists were neutralised and logistics destroyed.
According to him, similar airstrikes were conducted the same day by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in pre-emptive airstrikes over terrorists hibernating in Allawa village, near Shiroro town in Niger.
The NAF spokesman said the mission was conducted following credible intelligence, which revealed the migration of terrorists into the village after the mass exit of locals for fear of their safety.
He said the terrorists had, on May 1, stormed the deserted Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area and torched the Central Primary School.
“In the evening of the same day, another group of terrorists also arrived at the location, wielding AK-47/49 rifles after invading Galapai village in Galadima Kogo District of Shiroro.
“Accordingly, to prevent further occupation as well as pursue the terrorists from the location, the air component scrambled a formation of its platforms to attack the area.
“On arrival at the location, several terrorists were sighted and engaged effectively.
“Furthermore, following credible intelligence as well as detailed aerial observation, which confirmed the presence of their cache of arms hidden inside Allawa Forest, the air component further carried out air strikes at the location,” he said.
Gabkwet also said that the NAF carried out air strikes north of Arugbana and Temakiri in the Niger Delta, where illegal refining sites were observed and destroyed.
According to him, this action minimised oil thieves’ capabilities to sabotage and continually destroy oil pipelines.
