![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")
Nigerians have berated the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for recommending N62,000 as the new minimum wage proposal to the organised labour.
Chronicle NG reports that the Federal Government of Nigeria increased its offer of a new national minimum wage to N62,000, while organised labour has reduced its demand from N494,000 to N250,000.
This comes after the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, submitted the cost implications of the minimum wage to Tinubu.
Recall that organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, had embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday to demand an increased minimum wage for workers and the reversal of the recently increased electricity tariffs.
However, the labour union leadership suspended the strike on Tuesday for five days after signing a commitment with the Tinubu-led Federal Government to resume negotiations and come up with a new minimum wage within a week.
Reacting to the N62,000 minimum wage offer by the federal government, Nigerians berated Tinubu for allegedly having “no empathy” for workers in the country.
Responding to the news, social media influencer Nefertiti
mentioned that Tinubu spent “N90bn for Hajj, N4bn cars for BAT, N2bn cars for RAT, N58bn SUVs for NASS, N5bn for presidential yacht, N62,000 for Nigerian workers, N5bn for Student Loan Scheme, N500m for each NASS member, N3tn budget padding by NASS, N21bn for Shettima’s House, and 300% salary increase for the Judiciary.
“But you say the NLC doesn’t deserve at least N100,000 in monthly take-home?”
In his reaction, Ade Olanrewaju mentioned that “Nigeria, indeed, is a poor state, but only when it comes to the masses. But a rich state when it comes to politicians and the judiciary as their accomplices.”
“Ours is a very heartbreaking, utterly foolish mismanagement of public funds. The resultant man-made suffering is what we are feeling right now,” Vital Ejyke stated.
Describing the new minimum wage offer as “demonic,” Dos Santos, in a statement on X, mentioned that amid the inflation in the country, a family of three or four cannot survive on the wage in a month.
“Mr Ajaero We are waiting for your response on the N62,000 proposed minimum wage, which is wickedness and demonic. How can this amount of money feed a family of 3 or 4 with the hike in everything in this country?” Santos stated.
“No empathy, nothing. Everyone is quietly watching and won’t do anything. If you try, some people who are not benefiting in any way are ready to defend them and keep them in power on the grounds of tribe and religion,” Arikibe Okoro mentioned.
For X user simply identified as Victor, he described Nigerian leaders as criminals, saying, “That’s what happens when you have criminals as leaders; also, that’s what happens when those criminal leaders still have 1% of the foolish population that are supporting their criminal nature. Someday God will send a Messiah to deliver Nigeria since we, the citizens, are scared of death.”
![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")
